Integrated circuit with supply line intra-chip clock interface and methods for use therewith

ABSTRACT

An integrated circuit includes a first circuit and a plurality of first power supply lines for providing a first power to the first circuit. A first intra-chip clock interface generates a first clock signal on the first power supply lines. A plurality of second power supply lines are coupled to the plurality of first power supply lines and further couple a second power to the second circuit. A second intra-chip clock interface recovers the first clock signal from the second power supply lines. The second circuit operates based on the first clock signal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 as acontinuation-in-part of the U.S. patent applications entitled, “ANINTEGRATED CIRCUIT ANTENNA STRUCTURE,” having Ser. No. 11/648,826, filedon Dec. 29, 2006; RFID INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH INTEGRATED ANTENNASTRUCTURE having Ser. No. 12/210,564, filed on Sep. 15, 2008; INTEGRATEDCIRCUIT WITH POWER SUPPLY LINE ANTENNA STRUCTURE AND METHODS FOR USETHEREWITH, having Ser. No. 12/210,595, filed on Sep. 15, 2008;INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH BONDING WIRE ANTENNA STRUCTURE AND METHODS FORUSE THEREWITH, having Ser. No. 12/210,616, filed on Sep. 15, 2008;INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH ELECTROMAGNETIC INTRA-CHIP COMMUNICATION ANDMETHODS FOR USE THEREWITH, having Ser. No. 12/210,648, filed on Sep. 15,2008; and, “INTEGRATED CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY INCLUDING RFID AND COMPONENTSTHEREOF,” having Ser. No. 11/472,205, filed on Jun. 21, 2006.

The present application is further related to the following U.S. patentapplications that are commonly owned, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference thereto:

“INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH INTRA-CHIP CLOCK INTERFACE AND METHODS FOR USETHEREWITH,” having Ser. No. ______, filed on ______.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

NOT APPLICABLE

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to wireless communication and moreparticularly to integrated circuits used to support wirelesscommunications.

2. Description of Related Art

Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire linedcommunications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices.Such communication systems range from national and/or internationalcellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-homewireless networks to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. Eachtype of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, inaccordance with one or more communication standards. For instance,wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one ormore standards including, but not limited to, RFID, IEEE 802.11,Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, globalsystem for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access(CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS),multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variationsthereof.

Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wirelesscommunication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio,personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptopcomputer, home entertainment equipment, RFID reader, RFID tag, et ceteracommunicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communicationdevices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-pointcommunications), the participating wireless communication devices tunetheir receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g.,one of the plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wirelesscommunication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirectwireless communications, each wireless communication device communicatesdirectly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services)and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-buildingwireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communicationconnection between the wireless communication devices, the associatedbase stations and/or associated access points communicate with eachother directly, via a system controller, via the public switch telephonenetwork, via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.

For each wireless communication device to participate in wirelesscommunications, it includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiverand transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g.,a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communicationnetworks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the receiver is coupled to theantenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediatefrequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The lownoise amplifier receives inbound RF signals via the antenna andamplifies then. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix theamplified RF signals with one or more local oscillations to convert theamplified RF signal into baseband signals or intermediate frequency (IF)signals. The filtering stage filters the baseband signals or the IFsignals to attenuate unwanted out of band signals to produce filteredsignals. The data recovery stage recovers raw data from the filteredsignals in accordance with the particular wireless communicationstandard.

As is also known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, oneor more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The datamodulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordancewith a particular wireless communication standard. The one or moreintermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or morelocal oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifiesthe RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.

Currently, wireless communications occur within licensed or unlicensedfrequency spectrums. For example, wireless local area network (WLAN)communications occur within the unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, andMedical (ISM) frequency spectrum of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5 GHz. Whilethe ISM frequency spectrum is unlicensed there are restrictions onpower, modulation techniques, and antenna gain. Another unlicensedfrequency spectrum is the V-band of 55-64 GHz.

Since the wireless part of a wireless communication begins and ends withthe antenna, a properly designed antenna structure is an importantcomponent of wireless communication devices. As is known, the antennastructure is designed to have a desired impedance (e.g., 50 Ohms) at anoperating frequency, a desired bandwidth centered at the desiredoperating frequency, and a desired length (e.g., ¼ wavelength of theoperating frequency for a monopole antenna). As is further known, theantenna structure may include a single monopole or dipole antenna, adiversity antenna structure, the same polarization, differentpolarization, and/or any number of other electro-magnetic properties.

One popular antenna structure for RF transceivers is a three-dimensionalin-air helix antenna, which resembles an expanded spring. The in-airhelix antenna provides a magnetic omni-directional mono pole antenna.Other types of three-dimensional antennas include aperture antennas of arectangular shape, horn shaped, etc,; three-dimensional dipole antennashaving a conical shape, a cylinder shape, an elliptical shape, etc.; andreflector antennas having a plane reflector, a corner reflector, or aparabolic reflector. An issue with such three-dimensional antennas isthat they cannot be implemented in the substantially two-dimensionalspace of an integrated circuit (IC) and/or on the printed circuit board(PCB) supporting the IC.

Two-dimensional antennas are known to include a meandering pattern or amicro strip configuration. For efficient antenna operation, the lengthof an antenna should be ¼ wavelength for a monopole antenna and ½wavelength for a dipole antenna, where the wavelength (λ)=c/f, where cis the speed of light and f is frequency. For example, a ¼ wavelengthantenna at 900 MHz has a total length of approximately 8.3 centimeters(i.e., 0.25*(3×10⁸ m/s)/(900×10⁶ c/s)=0.25*33 cm, where m/s is metersper second and c/s is cycles per second). As another example, a ¼wavelength antenna at 2400 MHz has a total length of approximately 3.1cm (i.e., 0.25*(3×10⁸ m/s)/(2.4×10⁹ c/s)=0.25*12.5 cm). As such, due tothe antenna size, it cannot be implemented on-chip since a relativelycomplex IC having millions of transistors has a size of 2 to 20millimeters by 2 to 20 millimeters.

As IC fabrication technology continues to advance, ICs will becomesmaller and smaller with more and more transistors. While thisadvancement allows for reduction in size of electronic devices, it doespresent a design challenge of providing and receiving signals, data,clock signals, operational instructions, etc., to and from a pluralityof ICs of the device. Currently, this is addressed by improvements in ICpackaging and multiple layer PCBs. For example, ICs may include aball-grid array of 100-200 pins in a small space (e.g., 2 to 20millimeters by 2 to 20 millimeters). A multiple layer PCB includestraces for each one of the pins of the IC to route to at least one othercomponent on the PCB. Clearly, advancements in communication between ICsis needed to adequately support the forth-coming improvements in ICfabrication.

Therefore, a need exists for an integrated circuit antenna structure andwireless communication applications thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operationthat are further described in the following Brief Description of theDrawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims.Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of the invention madewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a device including a pluralityof integrated circuits in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 2-4 are diagrams of various embodiments of an integrated circuit(IC) in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a wirelesscommunication system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 8-10 are schematic block diagrams of various embodiments of anup-conversion module in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 13-16 are diagrams of various embodiments of an IC in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 17-20 are schematic block diagrams of various embodiments of an ICin accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 21 and 22 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antennastructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are frequency spectrum diagrams of an antenna structuresin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a frequency spectrum diagram of an antenna structure inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 28-42 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antenna structurein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 43 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 44-46 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antenna structurein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 47 is a diagram of an embodiment of a coupling circuit inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 48 is a diagram of impedance v. frequency for an embodiment of acoupling circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 49 and 50 are schematic block diagrams of various embodiments of atransmission line circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 51 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an IC inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 53-66 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antenna structurein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 67 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 68 and 69 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antennastructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 70 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 71 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure based on power supply lines in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 72 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a waveguidestructure based on power supply lines in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 73 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of awaveguide structure based on power supply lines in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 74 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 75 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 76 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 77 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 78 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 79 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 80 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 81 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 82-83 are schematic block diagrams of other embodiments of adevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 84 is a diagram of an embodiment of a frame of an intra-devicewireless communication in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 85-88 are schematic block diagrams of other embodiments of adevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 89 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 90 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an intra-chipclock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 91 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 92 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a coupling inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 93 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 94 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 95 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 96 is a top view of an embodiment of an on-chip coil in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 97 is a side view of an embodiment of an on-chip coil in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 98 is a bottom view of an embodiment of an on-chip coil inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 99 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a magneticcommunication path in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 100 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of amagnetic communication path in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 101 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 102 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 103 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 104 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 105 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 106 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 107 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 108 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a device 10 that includes adevice substrate 12 and a plurality of integrated circuits (IC) 14-20.Each of the ICs 14-20 includes a package substrate 22-28 and a die30-36. Dies 30 and 32 of ICs 14 and 16 include an antenna structure 38,40, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 46, 48, and a functional circuit54, 56. Dies 34 and 36 of ICs 18 and 20 include an RF transceiver 50, 52and a function circuit 58, 60. Package substrates 26 and 28 of ICs 18and 20 include an antenna structure 42, 44 coupled to the RF transceiver50, 52.

The device 10 may be any type of electronic equipment that includesintegrated circuits. For example, but far from an exhaustive list, thedevice 10 may be a personal computer, a laptop computer, a hand heldcomputer, a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point, a WLANstation, a cellular telephone, an audio entertainment device, a videoentertainment device, a video game control and/or console, a radio, acordless telephone, a cable set top box, a satellite receiver, networkinfrastructure equipment, a cellular telephone base station, andBluetooth head set. Accordingly, the functional circuit 54-60 mayinclude one or more of a WLAN baseband processing module, a WLAN RFtransceiver, a RFID transceiver, a cellular voice baseband processingmodule, a cellular voice RF transceiver, a cellular data basebandprocessing module, a cellular data RF transceiver, a localinfrastructure communication (LIC) baseband processing module, a gatewayprocessing module, a router processing module, a game controllercircuit, a game console circuit, a microprocessor, a microcontroller,and memory.

In one embodiment, the dies 30-36 may be fabricated using complimentarymetal oxide (CMOS) technology and the package substrate may be a printedcircuit board (PCB). In other embodiments, the dies 30-36 may befabricated using Gallium-Arsenide technology, Silicon-Germaniumtechnology, bi-polar, bi-CMOS, and/or any other type of IC fabricationtechnique. In such embodiments, the package substrate 22-28 may be aprinted circuit board (PCB), a fiberglass board, a plastic board, and/orsome other non-conductive material board. Note that if the antennastructure is on the die, the package substrate may simply function as asupporting structure for the die and contain little or no traces.

In an embodiment, the RF transceivers 46-52 provide local wirelesscommunication (e.g., IC to IC communication). In this embodiment, when afunctional circuit of one IC has information (e.g., data, operationalinstructions, files, etc.) to communication to another functionalcircuit of another IC, the RF transceiver of the first IC conveys theinformation via a wireless path to the RF transceiver of the second IC.In this manner, some to all of the IC to IC communications may be donewirelessly. As such, the device substrate 12 may include little or noconductive traces to provide communication paths between the ICs 14-20.For example, the device substrate 12 may be a fiberglass board, aplastic board, and/or some other non-conductive material board.

In one embodiment, a baseband processing module of the first IC convertsoutbound data (e.g., data, operational instructions, files, etc.) intoan outbound symbol stream. The conversion of outbound data into anoutbound symbol stream may be done in accordance with one or more datamodulation schemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequencymodulation (FM), phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK),phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shiftkeying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/oralterations thereof. For example, the conversion of the outbound datainto the outbound system stream may include one or more of scrambling,encoding, puncturing, interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation,frequency to time domain conversion, space-time block encoding,space-frequency block encoding, beamforming, and digital baseband to IFconversion.

The RF transceiver of the first IC converts the outbound symbol streaminto an outbound RF signal as will be subsequently described withreference to FIGS. 6-12 and 17-20. The antenna structure of the first ICis coupled to the RF transceiver and transmits the outbound RF signal,which has a carrier frequency within a frequency band of approximately55 GHz to 64 GHz. Accordingly, the antenna structure includeselectromagnetic properties to operate within the frequency band. Notethat various embodiments of the antenna structure including optionalwaveguide implementations will be described in FIGS. 21-81. Further notethat frequency band above 60 GHz may be used for the localcommunications.

The antenna structure of the second IC receives the RF signal as aninbound RF signal and provides them to the RF transceiver of the secondIC. The RF transceiver converts, as will be subsequently described withreference to FIGS. 6-12 and 17-20, the inbound RF signal into an inboundsymbol stream and provides the inbound symbol stream to a basebandprocessing module of the second IC. The baseband processing module ofthe second IC converts the inbound symbol stream into inbound data inaccordance with one or more data modulation schemes, such as amplitudemodulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), phase modulation (PM),amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK(QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shift keying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK),Gaussian MSK (GMSK), quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), acombination thereof, and/or alterations thereof. For example, theconversion of the inbound system stream into the inbound data mayinclude one or more of descrambling, decoding, depuncturing,deinterleaving, constellation demapping, demodulation, time to frequencydomain conversion, space-time block decoding, space-frequency blockdecoding, de-beamforming, and IF to digital baseband conversion. Notethat the baseband processing modules of the first and second ICs may beon same die as RF transceivers or on a different die within therespective IC.

In other embodiments, each IC 14-20 may include a plurality of RFtransceivers and antenna structures on-die and/or on-package substrateto support multiple simultaneous RF communications using one or more offrequency offset, phase offset, wave-guides (e.g., use waveguides tocontain a majority of the RF energy), frequency reuse patterns,frequency division multiplexing, time division multiplexing, null-peakmultiple path fading (e.g., ICs in nulls to attenuate signal strengthand ICs in peaks to accentuate signal strength), frequency hopping,spread spectrum, space-time offsets, and space-frequency offsets. Notethat the device 10 is shown to only include four ICs 14-20 for ease ofillustrate, but may include more or less that four ICs in practicalimplementations.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 70that includes a package substrate 80 and a die 82. The die includes abaseband processing module 78, an RF transceiver 76, a local antennastructure 72, and a remote antenna structure 74. The baseband processingmodule 78 may be a single processing device or a plurality of processingdevices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor,micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, centralprocessing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logicdevice, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/ordigital) based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operationalinstructions. The processing module 78 may have an associated memoryand/or memory element, which may be a single memory device, a pluralityof memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of the processing module78. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random accessmemory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamicmemory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that storesdigital information. Note that when the processing module 78 implementsone or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry,digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memoryelement storing the corresponding operational instructions may beembedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the statemachine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry.Further note that, the memory element stores, and the processing module78 executes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding toat least some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in FIGS. 2-20.

In one embodiment, the IC 70 supports local and remote communications,where local communications are of a very short range (e.g., less than0.5 meters) and remote communications are of a longer range (e.g.,greater than 1 meter). For example, local communications may be IC to ICcommunications, IC to board communications, and/or board to boardcommunications within a device and remote communications may be cellulartelephone communications, WLAN communications, RFID communications,Bluetooth piconet communications, walkie-talkie communications, etc.Further, the content of the remote communications may include graphics,digitized voice signals, digitized audio signals, digitized videosignals, and/or outbound text signals.

To support a local communication, the baseband processing module 78convert local outbound data into the local outbound symbol stream. Theconversion of the local outbound data into the local outbound symbolstream may be done in accordance with one or more data modulationschemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM),phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying(PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shift keying (FSK),minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK), quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/or alterations thereof. Forexample, the conversion of the outbound data into the outbound systemstream may include one or more of scrambling, encoding, puncturing,interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation, frequency to timedomain conversion, space-time block encoding, space-frequency blockencoding, beamforming, and digital baseband to IF conversion.

The RF transceiver 76 converts the local outbound symbol stream into alocal outbound RF signal and provides it to the local antenna structure72. Various embodiments of the RF transceiver 76 will be described withreference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

The local antenna structure 72 transmits the local outbound RF signals84 within a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.Accordingly, the local antenna structure 72 includes electromagneticproperties to operate within the frequency band. Note that variousembodiments of the antenna structure will be described in FIGS. 21-81.Further note that frequency band above 60 GHz may be used for the localcommunications.

For local inbound signals, the local antenna structure 72 receives alocal inbound RF signal 84, which has a carrier frequency within thefrequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. The local antennastructure 72 provides the local inbound RF signal 84 to the RFtransceiver, which converts the local inbound RF signal into a localinbound symbol stream.

The baseband processing module 78 converts the local inbound symbolstream into local inbound data in accordance with one or more datamodulation schemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequencymodulation (FM), phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK),phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shiftkeying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/oralterations thereof. For example, the conversion of the inbound systemstream into the inbound data may include one or more of descrambling,decoding, depuncturing, deinterleaving, constellation demapping,demodulation, time to frequency domain conversion, space-time blockdecoding, space-frequency block decoding, de-beamforming, and IF todigital baseband conversion.

To support a remote communication, the baseband processing module 78convert remote outbound data into a remote outbound symbol stream. Theconversion of the remote outbound data into the remote outbound symbolstream may be done in accordance with one or more data modulationschemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM),phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying(PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shift keying (FSK),minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK), quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/or alterations thereof. Forexample, the conversion of the outbound data into the outbound systemstream may include one or more of scrambling, encoding, puncturing,interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation, frequency to timedomain conversion, space-time block encoding, space-frequency blockencoding, beamforming, and digital baseband to IF conversion.

The RF transceiver 76 converts the remote outbound symbol stream into aremote outbound RF signal and provides it to the remote antennastructure 74. The remote antenna structure 74 transmits the remoteoutbound RF signals 86 within a frequency band. The frequency band maybe 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.Accordingly, the remote antenna structure 74 includes electromagneticproperties to operate within the frequency band. Note that variousembodiments of the antenna structure will be described in FIGS. 21-81.

For remote inbound signals, the remote antenna structure 74 receives aremote inbound RF signal 86, which has a carrier frequency within thefrequency band. The remote antenna structure 74 provides the remoteinbound RF signal 86 to the RF transceiver, which converts the remoteinbound RF signal into a remote inbound symbol stream.

The baseband processing module 78 converts the remote inbound symbolstream into remote inbound data in accordance with one or more datamodulation schemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequencymodulation (FM), phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK),phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shiftkeying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/oralterations thereof. For example, the conversion of the inbound systemstream into the inbound data may include one or more of descrambling,decoding, depuncturing, deinterleaving, constellation demapping,demodulation, time to frequency domain conversion, space-time blockdecoding, space-frequency block decoding, de-beamforming, and IF todigital baseband conversion.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 70that includes a package substrate 80 and a die 82. This embodiment issimilar to that of FIG. 2 except that the remote antenna structure 74 ison the package substrate 80. Accordingly, IC 70 includes a connectionfrom the remote antenna structure 74 on the package substrate 80 to theRF transceiver 76 on the die 82.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 70that includes a package substrate 80 and a die 82. This embodiment issimilar to that of FIG. 2 except that both the local antenna structure72 and the remote antenna structure 74 on the package substrate 80.Accordingly, IC 70 includes connections from the remote antennastructure 74 on the package substrate 80 to the RF transceiver 76 on thedie 82 and form the local antenna structure 72 on the package substrate72 to the RF transceiver 76 on the die 82.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a wirelesscommunication system 100 that includes a plurality of base stationsand/or access points 112, 116, a plurality of wireless communicationdevices 118-132 and a network hardware component 134. Note that thenetwork hardware 134, which may be a router, switch, bridge, modem,system controller, et cetera provides a wide area network connection 142for the communication system 100. Further note that the wirelesscommunication devices 118-132 may be laptop host computers 118 and 126,personal digital assistant hosts 120 and 130, personal computer hosts124 and 132 and/or cellular telephone hosts 122 and 128 that include abuilt in radio transceiver and/or have an associated radio transceiversuch as the ones illustrate in FIGS. 2-4.

Wireless communication devices 122, 123, and 124 are located within anindependent basic service set (IBSS) area 109 and communicate directly(i.e., point to point), which, with reference to FIGS. 2-4, is a remotecommunication. In this configuration, devices 122, 123, and 124 may onlycommunicate with each other. To communicate with other wirelesscommunication devices within the system 100 or to communicate outside ofthe system 100, the devices 122, 123, and/or 124 need to affiliate withone of the base stations or access points 112 or 116.

The base stations or access points 112, 116 are located within basicservice set (BSS) areas 11 and 13, respectively, and are operablycoupled to the network hardware 134 via local area network connections136, 138. Such a connection provides the base station or access point112, 116 with connectivity to other devices within the system 100 andprovides connectivity to other networks via the WAN connection 142. Tocommunicate (e.g., remote communications) with the wirelesscommunication devices within its BSS 111 or 113, each of the basestations or access points 112-116 has an associated antenna or antennaarray. For instance, base station or access point 112 wirelesslycommunicates with wireless communication devices 118 and 120 while basestation or access point 116 wirelessly communicates with wirelesscommunication devices 126-132. Typically, the wireless communicationdevices register with a particular base station or access point 112, 116to receive services from the communication system 100.

Typically, base stations are used for cellular telephone systems andlike-type systems, while access points, or master transceivers, are usedfor in-home or in-building wireless networks (e.g., IEEE 802.11 andversions thereof, Bluetooth, RFID, and/or any other type of radiofrequency based network protocol). Regardless of the particular type ofcommunication system, each wireless communication device includes abuilt-in radio and/or is coupled to a radio. Note that one or more ofthe wireless communication devices may include an RFID reader and/or anRFID tag.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of IC 14-20 thatincludes the antenna structure 40-46 and the RF transceiver 46-52. Theantenna structure 40-46 includes an antenna 150 and a transmission linecircuit 152. The RF transceiver 46-52 includes a transmit/receive (T/R)coupling module 154, a low noise amplifier (LNA) 156, a down-conversionmodule 158, and an up-conversion module 160.

The antenna 150, which may be any one of the antennas illustrated inFIGS. 21, 22, 28-32, 34-46, 53-56, and 58-81, receives an inbound RFsignal and provides it to the transmission line circuit 152. Thetransmission line circuit 152, which includes one or more of atransmission line, a transformer, and an impedance matching circuit asillustrated in FIGS. 21, 22, 28-32, 34, 42-50, 53-56, and 58-81,provides the inbound RF signal to the T/R coupling module 154 of the RFtransceiver 46-52. Note that the antenna structure 40-46 may be on thedie, on the package substrate, or a combination thereof. For example,the antenna 150 may be on the package substrate while the transmissionline circuit is on the die.

The T/R coupling module 154, which may be a T/R switch, or a transformerbalun, provides the inbound RF signal 162 to the LNA 156. The LNA 156amplifies the inbound RF signal 156 to produce an amplified inbound RFsignal. The down-conversion module 158 converts the amplified inbound RFsignal into the inbound symbol stream 164 based on a receive localoscillation 166. In one embodiment, the down-conversion module 158includes a direct conversion topology such that the receive localoscillation 166 has a frequency corresponding to the carrier frequencyof the inbound RF signal. In another embodiment, the down-conversionmodule 158 includes a superheterodyne topology. Note that while theinbound RF signal 162 and the inbound symbol stream 164 are shown asdifferential signals, they may be single-ended signals.

The up-conversion module 160 converts an outbound symbol stream 168 intoan outbound RF signal 172 based on a transmit local oscillation 170.Various embodiments of the up-conversion module 160 will be subsequentlydescribed with reference to FIGS. 8-10. In this embodiment, theup-conversion module 160 provides the outbound RF signal 172 directly tothe T/R coupling module 154. In other words, since the transmit powerfor a local communication is very small (e.g., <−25 dBm), a poweramplifier is not needed. Thus, the up-conversion module 160 is directlycoupled to the T/R coupling module 154.

The T/R coupling module 154 provides the outbound RF signal 172 to thetransmission line circuit 152, which in turn, provides the outbound RFsignal 172 to the antenna 150 for transmission.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of IC 14-20that includes the antenna structure 40-46 and the RF transceiver 46-52.The antenna structure 40-46 includes a receive (RX) antenna 184, a2^(nd) transmission line circuit 186, a transmit (TX) antenna 180, and a1^(st) transmission line circuit 182. The RF transceiver 46-52 includesa low noise amplifier (LNA) 156, a down-conversion module 158, and anup-conversion module 160.

The RX antenna 184, which may be any one of the antennas illustrated inFIGS. 21, 22, 28-32, 34-46, 53-56, and 58-81, receives an inbound RFsignal and provides it to the 2^(nd) transmission line circuit 186. The2^(nd) transmission line circuit 186, which includes one or more of atransmission line, a transformer, and an impedance matching circuit asillustrated in FIGS. 21, 22, 28-32, 34, 42-50, 53-56, and 58-81,provides the inbound RF signal 162 to the LNA 156. The LNA 156 amplifiesthe inbound RF signal 156 to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. Thedown-conversion module 158 converts the amplified inbound RF signal intothe inbound symbol stream 164 based on the receive local oscillation166.

The up-conversion module 160 converts the outbound symbol stream 168into an outbound RF signal 172 based on a transmit local oscillation170. The up-conversion module 160 provides the outbound RF signal 172 tothe 1^(st) transmission line circuit 182. The 1^(st) transmission linecircuit 182, which includes one or more of a transmission line, atransformer, and an impedance matching circuit as illustrated in FIGS.21, 22, 28-32, 34, 42-50, 53-56, and 58-81, provides the outbound RFsignal 172 to the TX antenna 180 for transmission. Note that the antennastructure 40-46 may be on the die, on the package substrate, or acombination thereof. For example, the RX and/or TX antennas 184 and/or180 may be on the package substrate while the transmission line circuits182 and 186 are on the die.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of theup-conversion module 160 that includes a first mixer 190, a second mixer192, a ninety degree phase shift module, and a combining module 194. Inthis embodiment, the up-conversion module 160 converts a Cartesian-basedoutbound symbol stream 168 into the outbound RF signal 172.

In this embodiment, the first mixer 190 mixes an in-phase component 196of the outbound symbol stream 168 with an in-phase component of thetransmit local oscillation 170 to produce a first mixed signal. Thesecond mixer 192 mixes a quadrature component 198 of the outbound symbol169 stream with a quadrature component of the transmit local oscillationto produce a second mixed signal. The combining module 194 combines thefirst and second mixed signals to produce the outbound RF signal 172.

For example, if the I component 196 is expressed as A_(I)cos(ω_(dn)+Φ_(n)), the Q component 198 is expressed as A_(Q)sin(ω_(dn)+Φ_(n)), the I component of the local oscillation 170 isexpressed as cos(ω_(RF)) and the Q component of the local oscillation170 is represented as sin(ω_(RF)), then the first mixed signal is ½A_(I) cos(ω_(RF)−ω_(dn)−Φ_(n))+½ A_(I) cos(ω_(RF)+ω_(dn)+Φ_(n)) and thesecond mixed signal is ½ A_(Q) cos(ω_(RF)−ω_(dn)Φ_(n))−½ A_(Q)cos(ω_(RF)+ω_(dn)+Φ_(n)). The combining module 194 then combines the twosignals to produce the outbound RF signal 172, which may be expressed asA cos(ω_(RF)+ω_(dn)+Φ_(n)). Note that the combining module 194 may be asubtraction module, may be a filtering module, and/or any other circuitto produce the outbound RF signal from the first and second mixedsignals.

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of theup-conversion module 160 that includes an oscillation module 200. Inthis embodiment, the up-conversion module 160 converts phasemodulated-based outbound symbol stream into the outbound RF signal 172.

In operation, the oscillation module 200, which may be a phase lockedloop, a fractional N synthesizer, and/or other oscillation generatingcircuit, utilizes the transmit local oscillation 170 as a referenceoscillation to produce an oscillation at the frequency of the outboundRF signal 172. The phase of the oscillation is adjusted in accordancewith the phase modulation information 202 of the outbound symbol stream168 to produce the outbound RF signal.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of theup-conversion module 160 that includes the oscillation module 200 and amultiplier 204. In this embodiment, the up-conversion module convertsphase and amplitude modulated-based outbound symbol stream into theoutbound RF signal 172.

In operation, the oscillation module 200, which may be a phase lockedloop, a fractional N synthesizer, and/or other oscillation generatingcircuit, utilizes the transmit local oscillation 170 as a referenceoscillation to produce an oscillation at the frequency of the outboundRF signal 172. The phase of the oscillation is adjusted in accordancewith the phase modulation information 202 of the outbound symbol stream168 to produce a phase modulated RF signal. The multiplier 204multiplies the phase modulated RF signal with amplitude modulationinformation 206 of the outbound symbol stream 168 to produce theoutbound RF signal.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of IC 70 thatincludes the local antenna structure 72, the remote antenna structure74, the RF transceiver 76, and the baseband processing module 78. The RFtransceiver 76 includes a receive section 210, a transmit section 212, a1^(st) coupling circuit 214, and a 2^(nd) coupling circuit 216.

In this embodiment, the baseband processing module 78 converts localoutbound data 218 into local outbound symbol stream 220. The firstcoupling circuit 214, which may be a switching network, a switch, amultiplexer, and/or any other type of selecting coupling circuit,provides the local outbound symbol stream 220 to the transmitter section212 when the IC is in a local communication mode. The transmit section212, which may include an up-conversion module as shown in FIGS. 8-10,converts the local outbound symbol stream into the local outbound RFsignal 222. The second coupling circuit 216, which may be a switchingnetwork, a switch, a multiplexer, and/or any other type of selectingcoupling circuit, provides the local outbound RF signal 222 to the localcommunication antenna structure 72 when the IC is in the localcommunication mode.

In the local communication mode 242, the second coupling circuit 216also receives the local inbound RF signal 224 from the localcommunication antenna structure 72 and provides it to the receivesection 210. The receive section 210 converts the local inbound RFsignal 224 into the local inbound symbol stream 226. The first couplingcircuit 214 provides the local inbound symbol stream 226 to the basebandprocessing module 78, which converts the local inbound symbol stream 226into local inbound data 228.

In a remote communication mode 242, the baseband processing module 78converts remote outbound data 230 into remote outbound symbol stream232. The first coupling circuit 214 provides the remote outbound symbolstream 232 to the transmit section 212 when the IC is in a remotecommunication mode. The transmit section 212 converts the remoteoutbound symbol stream 232 into the remote outbound RF signal 234. Thesecond coupling circuit 216 provides the remote outbound RF signal 234to the remote communication antenna structure 74.

In the remote communication mode, the second coupling circuit 216 alsoreceives the remote inbound RF signal 236 from the remote communicationantenna structure 74 and provides it to the receive section 210. Thereceive section 210 converts the remote inbound RF signal 236 into theremote inbound symbol stream 238. The first coupling circuit 214provides the remote inbound symbol stream 238 to the baseband processingmodule 78, which converts the remote inbound symbol stream 238 intoremote inbound data 240. Note that the local RF signal 84 includes thelocal inbound and outbound RF signals 222 and 224 and the remote RFsignal 86 includes the remote inbound and outbound RF signals 234 and236. Further note that the remote inbound and outbound data 230 and 240include one or more of graphics, digitized voice signals, digitizedaudio signals, digitized video signals, and text signals and the localinbound and outbound data 218 and 228 include one or more ofchip-to-chip communication data and chip-to-board communication data.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC 70that includes the local antenna structure 72, the remote antennastructure 74, the RF transceiver 76, and the baseband processing module78. The RF transceiver 76 includes a local transmit section 250, a localreceive section 252, a remote transmit section 254, and a remote receivesection 256.

In this embodiment, the baseband processing module 78 converts localoutbound data 218 into local outbound symbol stream 220. The localtransmit section 250, which may include an up-conversion module as shownin FIGS. 8-10, converts the local outbound symbol stream 220 into thelocal outbound RF signal 222. The local transmit section 250 providesthe local outbound RF signal 222 to the local communication antennastructure 72 when the IC is in the local communication mode 242.

In the local communication mode 242, the local receive section 252receives the local inbound RF signal 224 from the local communicationantenna structure 72. The local receive section 252 converts the localinbound RF signal 224 into the local inbound symbol stream 226. Thebaseband processing module 78 converts the local inbound symbol stream226 into local inbound data 228.

In a remote communication mode 242, the baseband processing module 78converts remote outbound data 230 into remote outbound symbol stream232. The remote transmit section 254 converts the remote outbound symbolstream 232 into the remote outbound RF signal 234 and provides it to theremote communication antenna structure 74.

In the remote communication mode, the remote receive section 256receives the remote inbound RF signal 236 from the remote communicationantenna structure 74. The receiver section 210 converts the remoteinbound RF signal 236 into the remote inbound symbol stream 238. Thebaseband processing module 78 converts the remote inbound symbol stream238 into remote inbound data 240.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 270that includes a package substrate 80 and a die 272. The die 272 includesa baseband processing module 276, an RF transceiver 274, a local lowefficiency antenna structure 260, a local efficient antenna structure262, and a remote antenna structure 74. The baseband processing module276 may be a single processing device or a plurality of processingdevices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor,micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, centralprocessing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logicdevice, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/ordigital) based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operationalinstructions. The processing module 276 may have an associated memoryand/or memory element, which may be a single memory device, a pluralityof memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of the processing module276. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random accessmemory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamicmemory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that storesdigital information. Note that when the processing module 276 implementsone or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry,digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memoryelement storing the corresponding operational instructions may beembedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the statemachine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry.Further note that, the memory element stores, and the processing module276 executes, hard coded and/or operational instructions correspondingto at least some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in FIGS.13-20.

In one embodiment, the IC 270 supports local low data rate, local highdata rate, and remote communications, where the local communications areof a very short range (e.g., less than 0.5 meters) and the remotecommunications are of a longer range (e.g., greater than 1 meter). Forexample, local communications may be IC to IC communications, IC toboard communications, and/or board to board communications within adevice and remote communications may be cellular telephonecommunications, WLAN communications, Bluetooth piconet communications,walkie-talkie communications, etc. Further, the content of the remotecommunications may include graphics, digitized voice signals, digitizedaudio signals, digitized video signals, and/or outbound text signals.

To support a low data rate or high data rate local communication, thebaseband processing module 276 convert local outbound data into thelocal outbound symbol stream. The conversion of the local outbound datainto the local outbound symbol stream may be done in accordance with oneor more data modulation schemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM),frequency modulation (FM), phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying(ASK), phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequencyshift keying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/oralterations thereof. For example, the conversion of the outbound datainto the outbound system stream may include one or more of scrambling,encoding, puncturing, interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation,frequency to time domain conversion, space-time block encoding,space-frequency block encoding, beamforming, and digital baseband to IFconversion.

The RF transceiver 274 converts the low data rate or high data ratelocal outbound symbol stream into a low data rate or high data localoutbound RF signal 264 or 266. The RF transceiver 274 provides the lowdata rate local outbound RF signal 264 to the local low efficiencyantenna structure 260, which may include a small antenna (e.g., a lengthof <= 1/10 wavelength) or infinitesimal antenna (e.g., a length of <=1/50 wavelength), and provides the high data rate local outbound RFsignal 288 to the local efficient antenna structure 262, which mayinclude a ¼ wavelength antenna or a ½ wavelength antenna.

The local low efficiency antenna structure 260 transmits the low datarate local outbound RF signal 264 within a frequency band ofapproximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz and the local efficient antenna structure262 transmits the high data rate local outbound RF signal 266 within thesame frequency band. Accordingly, the local antenna structures 260 and262 includes electromagnetic properties to operate within the frequencyband. Note that various embodiments of the antenna structures 260 and/or262 will be described in FIGS. 21-81. Further note that frequency bandabove 60 GHz may be used for the local communications.

For low data rate local inbound signals, the local low efficiencyantenna structure 260 receives a low data rate local inbound RF signal264, which has a carrier frequency within the frequency band ofapproximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. The local low efficiency antennastructure 260 provides the low data rate local inbound RF signal 264 tothe RF transceiver 274. For high data rate local inbound signals, thelocal efficient antenna structure 262 receives a high data rate localinbound RF signal 266 which has a carrier frequency within the frequencyband of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. The local efficient antennastructure 262 provides the high data rate local inbound RF signal 266 tothe RF transceiver 274.

The RF transceiver 274 converts the low data rate or the high data localinbound RF signal into a local inbound symbol stream. The basebandprocessing module 276 converts the local inbound symbol stream intolocal inbound data in accordance with one or more data modulationschemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM),phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying(PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shift keying (FSK),minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK), quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/or alterations thereof. Forexample, the conversion of the inbound system stream into the inbounddata may include one or more of descrambling, decoding, depuncturing,deinterleaving, constellation demapping, demodulation, time to frequencydomain conversion, space-time block decoding, space-frequency blockdecoding, de-beamforming, and IF to digital baseband conversion.

To support a remote communication, the baseband processing module 276convert remote outbound data into a remote outbound symbol stream. Theconversion of the remote outbound data into the remote outbound symbolstream may be done in accordance with one or more data modulationschemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM),phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), phase shift keying(PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shift keying (FSK),minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK), quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/or alterations thereof. Forexample, the conversion of the outbound data into the outbound systemstream may include one or more of scrambling, encoding, puncturing,interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation, frequency to timedomain conversion, space-time block encoding, space-frequency blockencoding, beamforming, and digital baseband to IF conversion.

The RF transceiver 274 converts the remote outbound symbol stream into aremote outbound RF signal 86 and provides it to the remote antennastructure 74. The remote antenna structure 74 transmits the remoteoutbound RF signals 86 within a frequency band. The frequency band maybe 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.Accordingly, the remote antenna structure 74 includes electromagneticproperties to operate within the frequency band. Note that variousembodiments of the antenna structure will be described in FIGS. 21-81.

For remote inbound signals, the remote antenna structure 74 receives aremote inbound RF signal 86, which has a carrier frequency within thefrequency band. The remote antenna structure 74 provides the remoteinbound RF signal 86 to the RF transceiver 274, which converts theremote inbound RF signal into a remote inbound symbol stream.

The baseband processing module 276 converts the remote inbound symbolstream into remote inbound data in accordance with one or more datamodulation schemes, such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequencymodulation (FM), phase modulation (PM), amplitude shift keying (ASK),phase shift keying (PSK), quadrature PSK (QSK), 8-PSK, frequency shiftkeying (FSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), Gaussian MSK (GMSK),quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a combination thereof, and/oralterations thereof. For example, the conversion of the inbound systemstream into the inbound data may include one or more of descrambling,decoding, depuncturing, deinterleaving, constellation demapping,demodulation, time to frequency domain conversion, space-time blockdecoding, space-frequency block decoding, de-beamforming, and IF todigital baseband conversion.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 270that includes a package substrate 80 and a die 272. This embodiment issimilar to that of FIG. 13 except that the remote antenna structure 74is on the package substrate 80. Accordingly, IC 270 includes aconnection from the remote antenna structure 74 on the package substrate80 to the RF transceiver 274 on the die 272.

FIG. 15 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 280that includes a package substrate 284 and a die 282. The die 282includes a control module 288, an RF transceiver 286, a plurality ofantenna structures 290. The control module 288 may be a singleprocessing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The control module may havean associated memory and/or memory element, which may be a single memorydevice, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of thecontrol module. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, randomaccess memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device thatstores digital information. Note that when the control module implementsone or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry,digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memoryelement storing the corresponding operational instructions may beembedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the statemachine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry.Further note that, the memory element stores, and the control moduleexecutes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to atleast some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in FIGS. 15-20.

In operation, the control module 288 configures one or more of theplurality of antenna structures 290 to provide the inbound RF signal 292to the RF transceiver 286. In addition, the control module 288configures one or more of the plurality of antenna structures 290 toreceive the outbound RF signal 294 from the RF transceiver 286. In thisembodiment, the plurality of antenna structures 290 is on the die 282.In an alternate embodiment, a first antenna structure of the pluralityof antenna structures 290 is on the die 282 and a second antennastructure of the plurality of antenna structures 290 is on the packagesubstrate 284. Note that an antenna structure of the plurality ofantenna structures 290 may include one or more of an antenna, atransmission line, a transformer, and an impedance matching circuit aswill described with reference to FIGS. 21-81.

The RF transceiver 286 converts the inbound RF signal 292 into aninbound symbol stream. In one embodiment, the inbound RF signal 292 hasa carrier frequency in a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64GHz. In addition, the RF transceiver 286 converts an outbound symbolstream into the outbound RF signal 294, which has a carrier frequency inthe frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.

FIG. 16 is a diagram of an embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) 280that includes a package substrate 284 and a die 282. This embodiment issimilar to that of FIG. 15 except that the plurality of antennastructures 290 is on the package substrate 284. Accordingly, IC 280includes a connection from the plurality of antenna structures 290 onthe package substrate 284 to the RF transceiver 286 on the die 282.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of IC 280 thatincludes a baseband processing module 300, the RF transceiver 286, thecontrol module 288, an antenna coupling circuit 316, and the pluralityof antenna structures 290. The baseband processing module 300 may be asingle processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module 276 mayhave an associated memory and/or memory element, which may be a singlememory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitryof the processing module 276. Such a memory device may be a read-onlymemory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory,static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or anydevice that stores digital information. Note that when the processingmodule 276 implements one or more of its functions via a state machine,analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memoryand/or memory element storing the corresponding operational instructionsmay be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising thestate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry. Further note that, the memory element stores, and theprocessing module 276 executes, hard coded and/or operationalinstructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/orfunctions illustrated in FIGS. 13-20.

In this embodiment, the control module 288, which may be a sharedprocessing device with or a separate processing device from the basebandprocessing module 300, places the IC 280 into amultiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication mode 336. In thismode, the baseband processing module 300 includes an encoding module302, an interleaving module 304, a plurality of symbol mapping modules306, a plurality of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules 308, and aspace-time or space-frequency block encoder 310 to convert outbound data316 into an outbound space-time or space-frequency block encoded symbolstreams 320. In one embodiment, the encoding module 302 performs one ormore of scrambling, encoding, puncturing, and any other type of dataencoding.

A plurality of transmit sections 314 of the RF transceiver 286 convertthe outbound space-time or space-frequency block encoded symbol streams320 into a plurality of outbound RF signals. The antenna couplingcircuit 316, which may include one or more T/R switches, one or moretransformer baluns, and/or one or more switching networks, provides theplurality of outbound RF signals to at least two of the plurality ofantenna structures 290 in accordance with the MIMO setting 336 providedby the control module 288. The at least two of the plurality of antennastructures 290 transmit the plurality of outbound RF signals as theoutbound RF signal 294.

The plurality of antenna structures 290 receives the inbound RF signal292, which includes a plurality of inbound RF signals. At least two ofthe plurality of antenna structures are coupled to a plurality ofreceive sections 312 of the RF transceiver 286 via the coupling circuit316. The receive sections 312 convert the plurality of inbound RFsignals into inbound space-time or space-frequency block encoded symbolstreams 322.

The baseband processing module includes a space-time or space-frequencydecoding module 326, a plurality of inverse FFT (IFFT) modules 328, aplurality of symbol demapping modules 330, a deinterleaving module 322,and a decoding module 334 to convert the inbound space-time orspace-frequency block encoded symbol streams 322 into inbound data 324.The decoding module 334 may perform one or more of de-puncturing,decoding, descrambling, and any other type of data decoding.

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of IC 280 thatincludes the baseband processing module 300, the RF transceiver 286, thecontrol module 288, an antenna coupling circuit 316, and the pluralityof antenna structures 290. In this embodiment, the control module 288places the IC 280 into a diversity mode 354. In this mode, the basebandprocessing module 300 includes the encoding module 302, the interleavingmodule 304, a symbol mapping module 306, and a Fast Fourier Transform(FFT) module 308 to convert outbound data 316 into an outbound symbolstream 350.

On of the plurality of transmit sections 314 of the RF transceiver 286converts the outbound symbol stream 320 into an outbound RF signal 294.The antenna coupling circuit 316 provides the outbound RF signal 294 toone or more of the plurality of antenna structures 290 in accordancewith the diversity setting 354 provided by the control module 288. Inone embodiment, the plurality of antenna structures 290 have antennasthat are physically spaced by ¼, ½, ¾, and/or a 1 wavelength apart toreceive and/or transmit RF signals in a multi-path environment.

The plurality of antenna structures 290 receives the inbound RF signal292. At least one of the plurality of antenna structures is coupled toone of the plurality of receive sections 312 of the RF transceiver 286via the coupling circuit 316. The receive section 312 converts theinbound RF signal 292 into an inbound symbol stream 352.

The baseband processing module 300 includes an inverse FFT (IFFT) module328, a symbol demapping module 330, a deinterleaving module 322, and adecoding module 334 to convert the inbound encoded symbol stream 352into inbound data 324.

FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of IC 280 thatincludes a baseband processing module 300, the RF transceiver 286, thecontrol module 288, an antenna coupling circuit 316, and the pluralityof antenna structures 290.

In this embodiment, the control module 288 places the IC 280 into abaseband (BB) beamforming mode 366. In this mode, the basebandprocessing module 300 includes the encoding module 302, the interleavingmodule 304, a plurality of symbol mapping modules 306, a plurality ofFast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules 308, and a beamforming encoder 310to convert outbound data 316 into outbound beamformed encoded symbolstreams 364.

A plurality of transmit sections 314 of the RF transceiver 286 convertthe outbound beamformed encoded symbol streams 364 into a plurality ofoutbound RF signals. The antenna coupling circuit 316 provides theplurality of outbound RF signals to at least two of the plurality ofantenna structures 290 in accordance with the beamforming setting 366provided by the control module 288. The at least two of the plurality ofantenna structures 290 transmit the plurality of outbound RF signals asthe outbound RF signal 294.

The plurality of antenna structures 290 receives the inbound RF signal292, which includes a plurality of inbound RF signals. At least two ofthe plurality of antenna structures are coupled to a plurality ofreceive sections 312 of the RF transceiver 286 via the coupling circuit316. The receive sections 312 convert the plurality of inbound RFsignals into inbound beamformed encoded symbol streams 365.

The baseband processing module includes a beamforming decoding module326, a plurality of inverse FFT (IFFT) modules 328, a plurality ofsymbol demapping modules 330, a deinterleaving module 322, and adecoding module 334 to convert the inbound beamformed encoded symbolstreams 365 into inbound data 324.

FIG. 20 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of IC 280 thatincludes a baseband processing module 300, the RF transceiver 286, thecontrol module 288, an antenna coupling circuit 316, and the pluralityof antenna structures 290. In this embodiment, the control module 288places the IC 280 into an in-air beamforming mode 370. In this mode, thebaseband processing module 300 includes the encoding module 302, theinterleaving module 304, a symbol mapping module 306, and a Fast FourierTransform (FFT) module 308 to convert outbound data 316 into an outboundsymbol stream 350.

The transmit section 376 of the RF transceiver 286 converts the outboundsymbol stream 320 into phase offset outbound RF signals of the outboundRF signal 294. For example, one phase offset outbound RF signal may havea phase offset of 0° and another may have a phase offset of 90°, suchthat the resulting in-air combining of the signals is at 45°. Inaddition to providing a phase offset, the transmit section 376 mayadjust the amplitudes of the phase offset outbound RF signals to producethe desired phase offset. The antenna coupling circuit 316 provides thephase offset outbound RF signals to at least two of the plurality ofantenna structures 290 in accordance with the in-air beamforming setting370 provided by the control module 288.

The plurality of antenna structures 290 receives the inbound RF signal292, which includes a plurality of inbound phase offset RF signals. Atleast two of the plurality of antenna structures is coupled to thereceive section 378 of the RF transceiver 286 via the coupling circuit316. The receive section 378 converts the plurality of inbound phaseoffset RF signals into an inbound symbol stream 352.

The baseband processing module 300 includes an inverse FFT (IFFT) module328, a symbol demapping module 330, a deinterleaving module 322, and adecoding module 334 to convert the inbound encoded symbol stream 352into inbound data 324.

FIGS. 21 and 22 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antennastructure of the plurality of antenna structures 290 that includes anantenna 380, a transmission line 382 and a transformer 384. The antenna380 is shown as a dipole antenna but may be of any configuration. Forexample, the antenna 380 may be any of the antennas illustrated in FIGS.35-47, 53, 54, and 58-81. The transmission line 382 may be a tunedtransmission line to substantially match the impedance of the antenna380 and/or may include an impedance matching circuit. The antennastructure 290-A of FIG. 21 has an ultra narrow bandwidth (e.g., <0.5% ofcenter frequency) and the antenna structure 290-B of FIG. 22 has anarrow bandwidth (approximately 5% of center frequency).

The bandwidth of an antenna having a length of ½ wavelength or less isprimarily dictated by the antenna's quality factor (Q), which may bemathematically expressed as shown in Eq. 1 where v₀ is the resonantfrequency, 2δv is the difference in frequency between the two half-powerpoints (i.e., the bandwidth).

$\begin{matrix}{\frac{v_{0}}{2\; {\partial v}} = \frac{1}{Q}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1}\end{matrix}$

Equation 2 provides a basic quality factor equation for the antennastructure, where R is the resistance of the antenna structure, L is theinductance of the antenna structure, and C is the capacitor of theantenna structure.

$\begin{matrix}{Q = {\frac{1}{R}*\sqrt{\frac{L}{C}}}} & {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 2}\end{matrix}$

As such, by adjusting the resistance, inductance, and/or capacitance ofan antenna structure, the bandwidth can be controlled. In particular,the smaller the quality factor, the narrower the bandwidth. In thepresent discussion, the antenna structure 290-A of FIG. 21 in comparisonto the antenna structure 290-B of FIG. 22 includes a larger resistanceand capacitor, thus it has a lower quality factor. Note that thecapacitance is primarily established by the length of, and the distancebetween, the lines of the transmission line 382, the distance betweenthe elements of the antenna 380, and any added capacitance to theantenna structure. Further note that the lines of the transmission line382 and those of the antenna 380 may be on the same layer of an ICand/or package substrate and/or on different layers of the IC and/orpackage substrate.

FIG. 23 is frequency spectrum diagram of antenna structures 290-A and290-B of FIGS. 21 and 22 centered at the carrier frequency of a desiredchannel 400, which may be in the frequency range of 55 GHz to 64 GHz. Asdiscussed above, the antenna structure 290-A has an ultra narrowbandwidth 404 and the antenna structure 290-B has a narrow bandwidth402. In one embodiment, the antenna structure 290-A may be used for atransmit antenna structure while antenna structure 290-B may be used fora receive antenna structure. In another embodiment, the first antennastructure 290-A may be enabled to have a first polarization and thesecond antenna structure 290-B may be enabled to have a secondpolarization.

In another embodiment, the both antenna structures 290-A and 290-B maybe enabled for signal combining of the inbound RF signal. In thisembodiment, the first and second antenna structures 290-A and 290-Breceive the inbound RF signal. The two representations of the inbound RFsignal are then be combined (e.g., summed together, use one to providedata when the other has potential corruption, etc.) to produce acombined inbound RF signal. The combining may be done in one of thefirst and second antenna structures 290-A and 290-B (note: one of thestructures would further include a summing module), in the RFtransceiver, or at baseband by the control module or the basebandprocessing module.

FIG. 24 is frequency spectrum diagram of the narrow bandwidth 402 ofantenna structure 290-B centered at the carrier frequency of a desiredchannel 410, which may be in the frequency range of 55 GHz to 64 GHz,and the ultra narrow bandwidth 404 of antenna structure 290-A centeredabout an interferer 412. The interferer 412 may be adjacent channelinterference, from another system, noise, and/or any unwanted signal.The circuit of FIG. 25 utilizes this antenna arrangement to cancel theinterferer 410 with negligible effects on receiving the desired channel410.

FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of IC 280that includes the plurality of antenna structures 290, the antennacoupling circuit 316, and the receive section 312. The receive section312 includes two low noise amplifiers 420 and 422, a subtraction module425, a bandpass filter (BPF) 424, and the down-conversion module 158. Inthis embodiment, the control module has enabled antenna structures 290-Aand 290-B.

In operation, the narrow bandwidth antenna structure 290-B receives theinbound RF channel, which includes the desired channel 410 and theinterferer 412 and provides it to the first LNA 420. The ultra narrowbandwidth antenna structure 290-A receives the interferer 412 andprovides it to the second LNA 422. The gains of the first and secondLNAs 420 and 422 may be separately controlled such that the magnitude ofthe interferer 412 outputted by both LNAs 420 and 422 is approximatelyequal. Further, the LNAs 420 and 422 may include a phase adjustmentmodule to phase align the amplified interferer outputted by both LNAs420 and 422.

The subtraction module 425 subtracts the output of the second LNA 422(i.e., the amplified interferer) from the output of the first LNA 420(i.e., the amplified desired channel and amplified interferer) toproduce an amplified desired channel. The bandpass filter 424, which istuned to the desired channel, further filters unwanted signals andprovides the filtered and amplified desired channel component of theinbound RF signal to the down-conversion module 158. The down-conversionmodule 158 converts the filtered and amplified desired channel componentinto the inbound symbol stream 164 based on the receive localoscillation 166.

FIG. 26 is frequency spectrum diagram of the narrow bandwidth 402 ofantenna structure 290-B centered at the carrier frequency of a desiredchannel 410, the ultra narrow bandwidth 404 of antenna structure 290-Acentered about an interferer 412, and another ultra narrow bandwidthantenna structure 290-C centered about the desired channel 410. Thecircuit of FIG. 27 utilizes this antenna arrangement to combine thedesired channel and cancel the interferer 410 with negligible effects onreceiving the desired channel 410.

FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an IC 280that includes the plurality of antenna structures 290, the antennacoupling circuit 316, and the receive section 312. The receive section312 includes three low noise amplifiers 420, 422, and 426, thesubtraction module 425, an adder 427, the bandpass filter (BPF) 424, andthe down-conversion module 158. In this embodiment, the control modulehas enabled antenna structures 290-A, 290-B, and 290-C.

In operation, the narrow bandwidth antenna structure 290-B receives theinbound RF channel, which includes the desired channel 410 and theinterferer 412 and provides it to the first LNA 420. The ultra narrowbandwidth antenna structure 290-A receives the interferer 412 andprovides it to the second LNA 422. The ultra narrow bandwidth antennastructure 290-C receives the desired channel and provides it to thethird LNA 426. The gains of the first, second, and third LNAs 420, 422,and 426 may be separately controlled such that the magnitude of theinterferer 412 outputted by LNAs 420 and 422 is approximately equal.Further, the LNAs 420 and 422 may include a phase adjustment module tophase align the amplified interferer outputted by both LNAs 420 and 422.

The subtraction module 425 subtracts the output of the second LNA 422(i.e., the amplified interferer) from the output of the first LNA 420(i.e., the amplified desired channel and amplified interferer) toproduce an amplified desired channel. The adder 427 adds the output ofthe subtraction module 425 (i.e., the desired channel) with the outputof the third LNA 426 (i.e., the desired channel) to produce a combineddesired channel. The bandpass filter 424, which is tuned to the desiredchannel, further filters unwanted signals from the combined desiredchannel and provides it to the down-conversion module 158. Thedown-conversion module 158 converts the filtered and amplified desiredchannel component into the inbound symbol stream 164 based on thereceive local oscillation 166.

FIG. 28 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes one or more of anantenna 430, a transmission line 432, conductors 434, 436, an impedancematching circuit 438, and a switching circuit 440. The antenna 430 maybe a microstrip on the die and/or on the package substrate to provide ahalf-wavelength dipole antenna or a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna.In other embodiments, the antenna 430 may be one or more of the antennasillustrated in FIGS. 35-46 51, and 53-81.

The transmission line 432, which may be a pair of microstrip lines onthe die and/or on the package substrate, is electrically coupled to theantenna 430 and electromagnetically coupled to the impedance matchingcircuit 438 by the first and second conductors 434 and 436. In oneembodiment, the electromagnetic coupling of the first conductor 434 to afirst line of the transmission line 432 produces a first transformer andthe electromagnetic coupling of the second conductor 436 to a secondline of the transmission line produces a second transformer.

The impedance matching circuit 438, which may include one or more of anadjustable inductor circuit, an adjustable capacitor circuit, anadjustable resistor circuit, an inductor, a capacitor, and a resistor,in combination with the transmission line 432 and the first and secondtransformers establish the impedance for matching that of the antenna430. The impedance matching circuit 438 may be implemented as shown inFIGS. 43-50.

The switching circuit 440 includes one or more switches, transistors,tri-state buffers, and tri-state drivers, to couple the impedancematching circuit 438 to the RF transceiver 286. In one embodiment, theswitching circuit 440 is receives a coupling signal from the RFtransceiver 286, the control module 288, and/or the baseband processingmodule 300, wherein the coupling signal indicates whether the switchingcircuit 440 is open (i.e., the impedance matching circuit 438 is notcoupled to the RF transceiver 286) or closed (i.e., the impedancematching circuit 438 is coupled to the RF transceiver 286).

FIG. 29 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes an antenna (i.e.,an antenna radiation section 452 and an antenna ground plane 454), atransmission line 456, and a transformer circuit 450. The antennaradiation section 452 may be a microstrip on the die and/or on thepackage substrate to provide a half-wavelength dipole antenna or aquarter-wavelength monopole antenna. In other embodiments, the antennaradiation section 452 may be implemented in accordance with one or moreof the antennas illustrated in FIGS. 35-46 51, and 53-81.

The antenna ground plane is on a different layer of the die and/or ofthe package substrate and, from a first axis (e.g., parallel to thesurface of the die and/or the package substrate), is parallel to theantenna radiation section 452 and, from a second axis (e.g.,perpendicular to the surface of the die and/or the package substrate),is substantially encircling of the antenna radiation section 452 and mayencircle to the transmission line 456.

The transmission line 456, which includes a pair of microstrip lines onthe die and/or on the package substrate, is electrically coupled to theantenna radiation section 452 and is electrically coupled to thetransformer circuit 460. The coupling of the transformer circuit to thesecond line is further coupled to the antenna ground plane 454. Variousembodiments of the transformer circuit 460 are shown in FIGS. 30-32.

FIG. 30 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes an antenna (i.e.,an antenna radiation section 452 and an antenna ground plane 454), atransmission line 456, and a transformer circuit 450.

In this embodiment, a first conductor 458, which may be a microstrip, iselectromagnetically coupled to the first line of the transmission line456 to form a first transformer. A second conductor 460 iselectromagnetically coupled to the second line of the transmission line456 to form a second transformer. The first and second transformers ofthe transformer circuit 450 are used to couple the transmission line 456to the RF transceiver and/or to an impedance matching circuit.

FIG. 31 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes an antenna (i.e.,an antenna radiation section 452 and an antenna ground plane 454), atransmission line 456, and a transformer circuit 450.

In this embodiment, the transformer circuit 450 includes a firstinductive conductor 462 and a second inductive conductor 464. The firstinductive conductor 462 is coupled to the first and second lines to forma single-ended winding of a transformer. The second inductive conductor464 includes a center tap that is coupled to ground. In addition, thesecond inductive conductor 464 is electromagnetically coupled to thefirst inductive conductor to form a differential winding of thetransformer. The transformer may be used to couple the transmission line456 to the RF transceiver and/or to an impedance matching circuit.

FIG. 32 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes an antenna (i.e.,an antenna radiation section 452 and an antenna ground plane 454), atransmission line 456, and a transformer circuit 450.

In this embodiment, the transformer circuit 450 includes a firstinductive conductor 476, a second inductive conductor 478, a thirdinductive conductor 480, and a fourth inductive conductor 482. Each ofthe inductive conductors 476-482 may be a microstrip on the die and/oron the package substrate. The first conductor 476 is on a first layer ofthe integrated circuit (i.e., the die and/or the package substrate) andis electromagnetically coupled to the first line of the transmissionline 456 to form a first transformer of the transformer circuit 450. Asshown, the first line and the antenna are on a second layer of theintegrated circuit.

The second conductor 487 is on the first layer of the integrated circuitand is electromagnetically coupled to the second line of thetransmission line 456 to form a second transformer. The third conductor480 is on a third layer of the integrated circuit and iselectromagnetically coupled to the first line of the transmission line456 to form a third transformer. The fourth conductor 482 is on thethird layer of the integrated circuit and is electromagnetically coupledto the second line of the transmission line to form a fourthtransformer. In one embodiment, the first and second transformerssupport an inbound radio frequency signal and the third and fourthtransformers support an outbound radio frequency signal.

FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram of an antenna structure 38, 40, 42, 44,72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282 and/or on apackage substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes an antenna element 490, a groundplane 492, and a transmission line 494. The antenna element 490 may beone or more microstrips having a length in the range of approximately 1¼millimeters to 2½ millimeters to provide a half-wavelength dipoleantenna or a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna for RF signals in afrequency band of 55 GHz to 64 GHz. In an embodiment, the antennaelement 490 is shaped to provide a horizontal dipole antenna or avertical dipole antenna. In other embodiments, the antenna element 490may be implemented in accordance with one or more of the antennasillustrated in FIGS. 34-46 51, and 53-81.

The ground plane 492 has a surface area larger than the surface area ofthe antenna element 490. The ground plane 490, from a first axialperspective, is substantially parallel to the antenna element 490 and,from a second axial perspective, is substantially co-located to theantenna element 490. The transmission line includes a first line and asecond line, which are substantially parallel. In one embodiment, atleast the first line of the transmission line 494 is electricallycoupled to the antenna element 490.

FIG. 34 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes the antennaelement 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and the transmission line494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490 and the transmissionline 494 are on a first layer 500 of the die and/or of the packagesubstrate and the ground plane 492 is on a second layer 502 of the dieand/or of the package substrate.

FIG. 35 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes the antennaelement 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and the transmission line494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490 has is verticallypositioned with respect to the ground plane 492 and has a length ofapproximately ¼ wavelength of the RF signals it transceivers. The groundplane 492 may be circular shaped, elliptical shaped, rectangular shaped,or any other shape to provide an effective ground for the antennaelement 490. The ground plane 492 includes an opening to enable thetransmission line 494 to be coupled to the antenna element 490.

FIG. 36 is a cross sectional diagram of the embodiment of an antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36,82, 272, or 282 and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284 ofFIG. 35. The antenna structure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290includes the antenna element 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and thetransmission line 494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490 hasis vertically positioned with respect to the ground plane 492 and has alength of approximately ¼ wavelength of the RF signals it transceivers.As shown, the ground plane 492 includes an opening to enable thetransmission line 494 to be coupled to the antenna element 490.

FIG. 37 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes a plurality ofdiscrete antenna elements 496, the antenna ground plane 492, and thetransmission line 494. In this embodiment, the plurality of discreteantenna elements 496 includes a plurality of infinitesimal antennas(i.e., have a length <= 1/50 wavelength) or a plurality of smallantennas (i.e., have a length <= 1/10 wavelength) to provide a discreteantenna structure, which functions similarly to a continuous horizontaldipole antenna. The ground plane 492 may be circular shaped, ellipticalshaped, rectangular shaped, or any other shape to provide an effectiveground for the plurality of discrete antenna elements 496.

FIG. 38 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284. The antennastructure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includes the antennaelement 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and the transmission line494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490 includes a plurality ofsubstantially enclosed metal traces 504 and 505, and vias 506. Thesubstantially enclosed metal traces 504 and 505 may have a circularshape, an elliptical shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape and/orany other shape.

In one embodiment, a first substantially enclosed metal trace 504 is ona first metal layer 500, a second substantially enclosed metal trace 505is on a second metal layer 502, and a via 506 couples the firstsubstantially enclosed metal trace 504 to the second substantiallyenclosed metal trace 505 to provide a helical antenna structure. Theground plane 492 may be circular shaped, elliptical shaped, rectangularshaped, or any other shape to provide an effective ground for theantenna element 490. The ground plane 492 includes an opening to enablethe transmission line 494 to be coupled to the antenna element 490.

FIG. 39 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282(collectively or alternatively referred to as die 514 for this figureand FIGS. 40-41) and/or on a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28, 80, 284(collectively or alternatively referred to as package substrate 512 forthis figure and FIGS. 40-41). The antenna structure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72,74, 282, or 290 includes the antenna element 490, the antenna groundplane 492, and the transmission line 494. In this embodiment, theantenna element 490 includes a plurality of antenna sections 516, whichmay be microstrips and/or or metal traces, to produce a horizontaldipole antenna. As shown, some of the antenna sections 516 may be on thedie 514 and other antenna sections 516 may be on the package substrate512. As is further shown, the package substrate 512 is supported via aboard 510. Note that the board 510 may be a printed circuit board, afiberglass board, a plastic board, or any other non-conductive typeboard.

FIG. 40 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 514 and/or on a package substrate512. The antenna structure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includesthe antenna element 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and thetransmission line 494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490includes a plurality of antenna sections 516, which may be microstrips,vias, and/or or metal traces, to produce a vertical dipole antenna. Asshown, some of the antenna sections 516 may be on the die 514 and otherantenna sections 516 may be on the package substrate 512. As is furthershown, the package substrate 512 is supported via a board 510, which mayinclude the ground plane 492. Alternatively, the ground plane 492 may beincluded on the package substrate 512.

FIG. 41 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure 38, 40,42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 on a die 514 and/or on a package substrate512. The antenna structure 38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290 includesthe antenna element 490, the antenna ground plane 492, and thetransmission line 494. In this embodiment, the antenna element 490includes a plurality of substantially enclosed metal traces 504, 505,518, and vias 506 and 520. The substantially enclosed metal traces 504,505, and 518 may have a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a squareshape, a rectangular shape and/or any other shape.

In one embodiment, a first substantially enclosed metal trace 504 is ona first metal layer 524 of the die 514, a second substantially enclosedmetal trace 505 is on a layer 522 of the package substrate 512, a thirdsubstantially enclosed metal trace 518 is on a second metal layer 526 ofthe die 514, and vias 506 and 520 couple the first, second, and thirdsubstantially enclosed metal traces 504, 505, and 518 together toprovide a helical antenna structure. The ground plane 492 may becircular shaped, elliptical shaped, rectangular shaped, or any othershape to provide an effective ground for the antenna element 490. Theground plane 492 includes an opening to enable the transmission line 494to be coupled to the antenna element 490. Note that more or lesssubstantially enclosed metal traces may be included on the die 514and/or on the package substrate 512.

FIG. 42 is a diagram of an embodiment of an adjustable integratedcircuit (IC) antenna structure that may be used for antenna 38, 40, 42,44, 72, 74, 282, or 290. The adjustable IC antenna structure includes aplurality of antenna elements 534, a coupling circuit 536, a groundplane 540, and a transmission line circuit 538. In this illustration,the plurality of antenna elements 534, the coupling circuit 536, and thetransmission line circuit 538 are on a first layer 530 of a die 30, 32,34, 36, 82, 272, or 282 and/or of a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28,80, 284 of an IC. The ground plane 540 is proximally located to theplurality of antenna elements 534 but on a second layer 532 of the die30, 32, 34, 36, 82, 272, or 282 and/or of the package substrate 22, 24,26, 28, 80, 284. In other embodiments, the ground plane 540 may be on adifferent layer, may be on the same layer as the plurality of antennaelements 534, and/or on a board that supports the IC.

Each of the plurality of antenna elements 534 may be a metal trace on ametal layer of the die and/or substrate, may be a microstrip, may havethe same geometric shape (e.g., square, rectangular, coil, spiral, etc.)as other antenna elements, may have a different geometric shape than theother antenna elements, may be horizontal with respect to the supportsurface of the die and/or substrate, may be vertical with respect to thesupport surface of the die and/or substrate, may have the sameelectromagnetic properties (e.g., impedance, inductance, reactance,capacitance, quality factor, resonant frequency, etc.) as other antennaelements, and/or may have different electromagnetic properties than theother antenna elements.

The coupling circuit 536, which may include plurality of magneticcoupling elements and/or a plurality of switches, couples at least oneof the plurality of antenna elements into an antenna based on an antennastructure characteristic signal. The control module 288, an RFtransceiver 46-52, 76, 274, 286 and/or a baseband processing module 78,276, 300 may generate the antenna structure characteristic signal tocontrol the coupling circuit 536 to couple the antenna elements 534 intoan antenna having a desired effective length, a desired bandwidth, adesired impedance, a desired quality factor, and/or a desired frequencyband. For example, the antenna elements 534 may be configured to producean antenna having a frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz; tohave an impedance of approximately 50 Ohms; to have an effective lengthof an infinitesimal antenna, of a small antenna, of ¼ wavelength, of ½wavelength, or greater; etc. Embodiments of the coupling circuit 536will be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 47 and 48.

The transmission line circuit 538 is coupled to provide an outboundradio frequency (RF) signal to the antenna and receive an inbound RFsignal from the antenna. Note that the antenna elements 534 may beconfigured into any type of antenna including, but not limited to, aninfinitesimal antenna, a small antenna, a micro strip antenna, ameandering line antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, a helicalantenna, a horizontal antenna, a vertical antenna, a reflector antenna,a lens type antenna, and an aperture antenna.

FIG. 43 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an adjustableintegrated circuit (IC) antenna structure that may be used for antenna38, 40, 42, 44, 72, 74, 282, or 290. The adjustable IC antenna structureincludes an antenna 544 and the transmission line circuit 538. Thetransmission line circuit 538 includes a transmission line 542 and animpedance matching circuit 546. In other embodiments, the transmissionline circuit may further include a transformer circuit coupled to theimpedance matching circuit 546 or coupled between the impedance matchingcircuit 546 and the transmission line 542.

The antenna 544 includes a plurality of impedances, a plurality ofcapacitances, and/or a plurality of inductances; one or more of whichmay be adjustable. The impedances, capacitances, and inductances areproduced by the coupling of the plurality of antenna elements 534 intothe antenna. As such, by different couplings of the antenna elements534, the inductances, capacitances, and/or impedances of the antenna 544may be adjusted.

The transmission line 542 includes a plurality of impedances, aplurality of capacitances, and/or a plurality of inductances; one ormore of which may be adjustable. The impedances, capacitances, andinductances may be produced by coupling of a plurality of transmissionline elements into the transmission line 542. As such, by differentcouplings of the transmission line elements, the inductances,capacitances, and/or impedances of the transmission line 542 may beadjusted. Each of the plurality of transmission line elements may be ametal trace on a metal layer of the die and/or substrate, may be amicrostrip, may have the same geometric shape (e.g., square,rectangular, coil, spiral, etc.) as other transmission line elements,may have a different geometric shape than the other transmission lineelements, may have the same electromagnetic properties (e.g., impedance,inductance, reactance, capacitance, quality factor, resonant frequency,etc.) as other transmission line elements, and/or may have differentelectromagnetic properties than the other transmission line elements.

The impedance matching circuit 546 includes a plurality of impedances, aplurality of capacitances, and/or a plurality of inductances; one ormore of which may be adjustable. The impedances, capacitances, andinductances may be produced by coupling of a plurality of impedancematching elements (e.g., impedance elements, inductor elements, and/orcapacitor elements) into the impedance matching circuit 546. As such, bydifferent couplings of the impedance matching elements, the inductances,capacitances, and/or impedances of the impedance matching circuit 546may be adjusted. Each of the plurality of impedance matching elementsmay be a metal trace on a metal layer of the die and/or substrate, maybe a microstrip, may have the same geometric shape (e.g., square,rectangular, coil, spiral, etc.) as other impedance matching elements,may have a different geometric shape than the other impedance matchingelements, may have the same electromagnetic properties (e.g., impedance,inductance, reactance, capacitance, quality factor, resonant frequency,etc.) as other impedance matching elements, and/or may have differentelectromagnetic properties than the other impedance matching elements.

If the transmission line circuit 538 includes a transformer circuit, thetransformer circuit may include a plurality of impedances, a pluralityof capacitances, and/or a plurality of inductances; one or more of whichmay be adjustable. The impedances, capacitances, and inductances may beproduced by coupling of a plurality of transformer elements into thetransformer circuit. As such, by different couplings of the transformerelements, the inductances, capacitances, and/or impedances of thetransformer circuit may be adjusted. Each of the plurality oftransformer elements may be a metal trace on a metal layer of the dieand/or substrate, may be a microstrip, may have the same geometric shape(e.g., square, rectangular, coil, spiral, etc.) as other transformerelements, may have a different geometric shape than the othertransformer elements, may have the same electromagnetic properties(e.g., impedance, inductance, reactance, capacitance, quality factor,resonant frequency, etc.) as other transformer elements, and/or may havedifferent electromagnetic properties than the other transformerelements.

With adjustable properties of the antenna 544 and the transmission linecircuit 538, the control module 288, the RF transceiver 46-52, 76, 274,286 and/or the baseband processing module 78, 276, 300 may configure oneor more antenna structures to have a desired effective length, a desiredbandwidth, a desired impedance, a desired quality factor, and/or adesired frequency band. For example, the control module 288, the RFtransceiver 46-52, 76, 274, 286 and/or the baseband processing module78, 276, 300 may configure one antenna structure to have an ultra narrowbandwidth and another antenna structure to have a narrow bandwidth. Asanother example, the control module 288, the RF transceiver 46-52, 76,274, 286 and/or the baseband processing module 78, 276, 300 mayconfigure one antenna for one frequency range (e.g., a transmitfrequency range) and another antenna for a second frequency range (e.g.,a receive frequency range). As yet another example, the control module288, the RF transceiver 46-52, 76, 274, 286 and/or the basebandprocessing module 78, 276, 300 may configure one antenna structure tohave a first polarization and another antenna to have a secondpolarization.

FIG. 44 is a diagram of an embodiment of an adjustable integratedcircuit (IC) antenna structure that may be used for antenna 38, 40, 42,44, 72, 74, 282, or 290. The adjustable IC antenna structure includesthe antenna 544, the transmission line 542, and the impedance matchingcircuit 546 on the same layer of the die and/or package substrate. Notethat the antenna structure may further include a transformer circuitcoupled to the impedance matching circuit 546 or coupled between theimpedance matching circuit 546 and the transmission line 542.

In this illustration, the transmission line 542 includes a plurality oftransmission line elements 550 and a transmission line coupling circuit552. The transmission line coupling circuit 552 couples at least one ofthe plurality of transmission line elements 550 into a transmission line542 in accordance with a transmission line characteristic portion of theantenna structure characteristic signal.

The adjustable impedance matching circuit 546 includes a plurality ofimpedance matching elements 550 and a coupling circuit 552 to produce atunable inductor and/or a tunable capacitor in accordance with animpedance characteristic portion of the antenna structure characteristicsignal. In one embodiment, the tunable inductor includes a plurality ofinductor elements 550 and an inductor coupling circuit 552. The inductorcoupling circuit 552 couples at least one of the plurality of inductorelements 550 into an inductor having at least one of a desiredinductance, a desire reactance, and a desired quality factor within agiven frequency band based on the impedance characteristic portion ofthe antenna structure characteristic signal.

If the transmission line circuit includes a transformer, then thetransformer includes a plurality of transformer elements 550 and atransformer coupling circuit 552. The transformer coupling circuit 552couples at least one of the plurality of transformer elements 550 into atransformer in accordance with a transformer characteristic portion ofthe antenna structure characteristic signal. Note that each of thecoupling circuit 552 may include a plurality of magnetic couplingelements and/or a plurality of switches or transistors.

FIG. 45 is a diagram of an embodiment of an adjustable integratedcircuit (IC) antenna structure that may be used for antenna 38, 40, 42,44, 72, 74, 282, or 290. The adjustable IC antenna structure includesthe antenna elements and the transmission line circuit elements 550 ofdie layers 560 and 562, the coupling circuits 552 on die layer 561, andone or more adjustable ground planes 572 on one or more layers of thepackage substrate 564, 566, and/or on one or more layers of thesupporting board 568, 570.

In this embodiment, with the elements 550 on different layers, theelectromagnetic coupling between them via the coupling circuits 552 isdifferent than when the elements are on the same layer as shown in FIG.44. Accordingly, a different desired effective length, a differentdesired bandwidth, a different desired impedance, a different desiredquality factor, and/or a different desired frequency band may beobtained. In another embodiment, the antenna structure may include acombination of the elements 550 and coupling circuits 552 of FIGS. 44and 45.

In an embodiment of this illustration, the adjustable ground plane 572may include a plurality of ground planes and a ground plane selectioncircuit. The plurality of ground planes are on one or more layers of thepackage substrate and/or on one or more layers the supporting board. Theground plane selecting circuit is operable to select at least one of theplurality of ground planes in accordance with a ground plane portion ofthe antenna structure characteristic signal to provide the ground plane540 of the antenna structure.

In an embodiment of this illustration, the adjustable ground plane 572includes a plurality of ground plane elements and a ground planecoupling circuit. The ground plane coupling circuit is operable tocouple at least one of the plurality of ground plane elements into theground plane in accordance with a ground plane portion of the antennastructure characteristic signal.

FIG. 46 is a diagram of another embodiment of an adjustable integratedcircuit (IC) antenna structure that may be used for antenna 38, 40, 42,44, 72, 74, 282, or 290. The adjustable IC antenna structure includesthe antenna elements and the transmission line circuit elements 550 ofdie layer 560 and on package substrate layer 564, the coupling circuits552 on die layer 562, and one or more adjustable ground planes 572 onpackage substrate layer 566 and/or on one or more layers of thesupporting board 568, 570.

In this embodiment, with the elements 550 on different layers, theelectromagnetic coupling between them via the coupling circuits 552 isdifferent than when the elements are on the same layer as shown in FIG.44. Accordingly, a different desired effective length, a differentdesired bandwidth, a different desired impedance, a different desiredquality factor, and/or a different desired frequency band may beobtained. In another embodiment, the antenna structure may include acombination of the elements 550 and coupling circuits 552 of FIGS. 44and 46.

In an embodiment of this illustration, the adjustable ground plane 572may include a plurality of ground planes and a ground plane selectioncircuit. The plurality of ground planes are on one or more layers of thepackage substrate and/or on one or more layers the supporting board. Theground plane selecting circuit is operable to select at least one of theplurality of ground planes in accordance with a ground plane portion ofthe antenna structure characteristic signal to provide the ground plane540 of the antenna structure.

In an embodiment of this illustration, the adjustable ground plane 572includes a plurality of ground plane elements and a ground planecoupling circuit. The ground plane coupling circuit is operable tocouple at least one of the plurality of ground plane elements into theground plane in accordance with a ground plane portion of the antennastructure characteristic signal.

FIG. 47 is a diagram of an embodiment of a coupling circuit 552 and/or536 that includes a plurality of magnetic coupling elements 574 andswitches T1 and T2. In one embodiment, a magnetic coupling element ofthe plurality of magnetic coupling elements 574 includes a metal traceproximal to first and second antenna elements 534 of the plurality ofantenna elements. The metal trace provides magnetic coupling between thefirst and second antenna elements 534 when a corresponding portion ofthe antenna structure characteristic signal is in a first state (e.g.,enabled) and substantially blocks coupling between the first and secondantenna elements when the corresponding portion of the antenna structurecharacteristic signal is in a second state (e.g., disabled).

For example, a first magnetic coupling element L1 is placed between twoelements 534 of the antenna, transmission line, impedance matchingcircuit, or the transformer. The first magnetic coupling element L1 maybe on the same layer as the two elements 534 or on a layer betweenlayers respectively supporting the two elements 534. As positioned, thefirst magnetic coupling element L1 has an inductance and creates a firstcapacitance C1 with the first element and creates a second capacitanceC2 with the second element. A second magnetic coupling element L2 iscoupled in parallel via switches T1 and T2 with the first magneticcoupling element L1. The values of L1, L2, C1, and C2 are designed toproduce a low impedance with respect to the impedance of the antennawhen the switches T1 and T2 are enabled and to have a high impedancewith respect to the impedance of the antenna when the switches T1 and T2are disabled.

As a specific example, the antenna is designed or configured to have animpedance of approximately 50 Ohms at a frequency of 60 GHz. In thisexample, when the switches are enabled, the serial combination of C1 andC2 have a capacitance of approximately 0.1 pico-Farads and the parallelcombination of the L1 and L2 have an inductance of approximately 70pico-Henries such that the serial combination of C1 and C2 resonant withthe parallel combination of the L1 and L2 at approximately 60 GHz (e.g.,(2πf)²=1/LC). When the switches are disabled, the impedance of L1 at 60GHz is substantially greater than the impedances of the first and secondantenna elements 534. For example, a 1.3 nano-Henries inductor has animpedance of approximately 500 Ohms at 60 GHz. Such an inductor may be acoil on one or more layers of the die and/or substrate.

FIG. 48 is a diagram of impedance v. frequency for an embodiment of acoupling circuit 536 and/or 552. In the diagram, the impedance of theantenna at an RF frequency (e.g., 60 GHz) is approximately 50 Ohms. Whenthe switches are enabled, the impedance of the coupling circuit 536and/or 552 is much less than the 50 Ohms of the antenna. When theswitches are disabled, the impedance of the coupling circuit 536 and/or552 is much greater than the 50 Ohms of the antenna.

FIG. 49 is schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a transmissionline circuit 538 that includes the transmission line 542, thetransformer circuit 450, and the impedance matching circuit 546. In thisembodiment, the transformer circuit 450 is coupled between the impedancematching circuit 546 and the transmission line 542. Note that thetransmission line circuit 538 may be shared by multiple antennas or maybe used by only one antenna. For example, when multiple antennas areused, each antenna has its own transmission line circuit.

FIG. 50 is schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a transmissionline circuit 538 that includes the transmission line 542, thetransformer circuit 450, and the impedance matching circuit 546. In thisembodiment, the transformer circuit 450 is coupled after the impedancematching circuit 546 and includes a single-ended winding coupled to theimpedance matching circuit and a differential winding, which is coupledto the RF transceiver.

FIG. 51 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna array structure thatincludes a plurality of adjustable antenna structures. Each of theadjustable antenna structures includes the transmission line circuit538, the antenna elements 550 and the coupling circuits 552. While theantenna structures are shown to have a dipole shape, they may be anyother type of antenna structure including, but not limited to, aninfinitesimal antenna, a small antenna, a micro strip antenna, ameandering line antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, a helicalantenna, a horizontal antenna, a vertical antenna, a reflector antenna,a lens type antenna, and an aperture antenna.

In this embodiment, the antenna array includes four transmit (TX)antenna structures and four receive (RX) antenna structures, where theRX antenna structures are interleaved with the TX antenna structures. Inthis arrangement, the RX antennas have a first directional circularpolarization and the TX antennas have a second directional circuitpolarization. Note that the antenna array may include more or less RXand TX antennas than those shown in the present figure.

FIG. 52 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an IC 580 thatincludes a plurality of antenna elements 588, a coupling circuit 586, acontrol module 584, and an RF transceiver 582. Each of the plurality ofantenna elements 588 is operable in a frequency range of approximately55 GHz to 64 GHz. An antenna element 588 may be any type of antennaincluding, but not limited to, an infinitesimal antenna, a smallantenna, a micro strip antenna, a meandering line antenna, a monopoleantenna, a dipole antenna, a helical antenna, a horizontal antenna, avertical antenna, a reflector antenna, a lens type antenna, and anaperture antenna.

The coupling circuit 586, which may be a switching network, transformerbalun circuit, and/or transmit/receive switching circuit, is operable tocouple the plurality of antenna elements 588 into an antenna structurein accordance with an antenna configuration signal. The control module584 is coupled to generate the antenna configuration signal 600 based ona mode of operation 598 of the IC. The control module 584 may be asingle processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The control module 584 mayhave an associated memory and/or memory element, which may be a singlememory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitryof the control module 584. Such a memory device may be a read-onlymemory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory,static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or anydevice that stores digital information. Note that when the controlmodule 584 implements one or more of its functions via a state machine,analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memoryand/or memory element storing the corresponding operational instructionsmay be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising thestate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry. Further note that, the memory element stores, and the controlmodule 584 executes, hard coded and/or operational instructionscorresponding to at least some of the steps and/or functions illustratedin FIGS. 52-57.

The RF transceiver 582 is coupled to convert an outbound symbol stream590 into an outbound RF signal 592 and to convert an inbound RF signal594 into an inbound symbol stream 596 in accordance with the mode ofoperation 598 of the IC. Note that the RF transceiver 582 may beimplemented in accordance with one or more of the RF transceiverembodiments previously discussed. Further note that the antennaconfiguration signal 600 may adjust the characteristics (e.g., a desiredeffective length, a desired bandwidth, a desired impedance, a desiredquality factor, and/or a desired frequency band) of the antennastructure for various modes of operation 598. For example, when the modeof operation changes from one frequency band to another (e.g., from a TXfrequency band to an RX frequency band), the characteristics of theantenna structure may be adjusted. As another example, the mode ofoperation may change due to changes in wireless communication conditions(e.g., fading, transmit power levels, receive signal strength, basebandmodulation scheme, etc.), and, as such, the characteristics of theantenna structure may be adjusted accordingly. As another example, themode of operation may change from local communications to remotecommunications, which may benefit from a change in the characteristicsof the antenna structure. As yet another example, the mode of operationmay change from low data local communications to high data rate localcommunications, which may benefit from a change in the characteristicsof the antenna structure. As yet another example, the antennaconfiguration signal 600 may cause a change in the antennacharacteristics for one or more of the following modes of operation halfduplex in-air beamforming communications, half duplex multiple inputmultiple output communications, full duplex polarization communications,and full duplex frequency off set communications.

In one embodiment, a first antenna element of the plurality of antennaelements 588 is coupled to receive the inbound RF signal 594 and asecond antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements 588 iscoupled to transmit the outbound RF signal 592. In addition, the firstantenna element 588 may receive the inbound RF signal 594 within areceive frequency band of the frequency band and the second antennaelement 588 may transmit the outbound RF signal 592 within a transmitfrequency band of the frequency band.

In another embodiment, a first antenna element of the plurality ofantenna elements 588 has a first polarization and a second antennaelement of the plurality of antenna elements 588 has a secondpolarization. In addition, the first and second polarizations include aleft hand circular polarization and a right hand circular polarization.In this instance, the second antenna element includes a phase shiftmodule coupled to phase shift the inbound or outbound RF signals by aphase offset. Further, the first antenna element is orthogonallypositioned with respect to the second antenna section.

In an embodiment of the IC 580, the IC 580 includes a die and a packagesubstrate. In this embodiment, the die supports the coupling circuit586, the control module 584, and the RF transceiver 582 and the packagesubstrate supports the plurality of antenna elements 588. In anotherembodiment, the die supports the plurality of antenna elements 588, thecoupling circuit 586, the control module 584, and the RF transceiver 582and the package substrate supports the die.

FIG. 53 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure thatincludes a pair of micro-strip antenna elements 602 and a transmissionline 606. In this embodiment, each of the micro-strip antenna elements602 includes a plurality of feed points 604 that are selectively coupledto the transmission line 606 in accordance with the antennaconfiguration signal 600. For example, each of the feed points 604corresponds to different characteristics of the antenna structure (e.g.,a different effective length, a different bandwidth, a differentimpedance, a different radiation pattern, a different quality factor,and/or a different frequency band).

FIG. 54 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure thatincludes a pair of micro-strip antenna elements 602 and a transmissionline 606. In this embodiment, each of the micro-strip antenna elements602 includes a plurality of feed points 604 that are selectively coupledto the transmission line 606 in accordance with the antennaconfiguration signal 600. In this embodiment, the different feed points604 cause different polarizations of the micro-strip antenna element602.

FIG. 55 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure thatincludes the plurality of antenna elements 588 and the coupling circuit586. The coupling circuit 586 includes a plurality of transmission lines606 and a switching module 610. Note that the coupling circuit 586 mayfurther include a plurality of transformer modules coupled to theplurality of transmission lines and/or a plurality of impedance matchingcircuits coupled to the plurality of transformer modules.

In this embodiment, the switching module 610, which may be a switchingnetwork, multiplexer, switches, transistor network, and/or a combinationthereof, couples one or more of the plurality of transmission lines 606to the RF transceiver in accordance with the antenna configurationsignal 600. For example, in a half duplex mode, the switching module 610may couple one of the transmission lines 606 to the RF transceiver fortransmitting the outbound RF signal 592 and for receiving the inbound RFsignal 594. As another example, for half duplex multiple input multipleoutput communications, the switching module 610 may couple two or moreof the transmission lines 606 to the RF transceiver for transmitting theoutbound RF signal 592 and for receiving the inbound RF signal 594. Asyet another example, for full duplex polarization communications, theswitching module 610 may couple one of the transmission lines 606 to theRF transceiver for transmitting the outbound RF signal 592 and anothertransmission line 606 to the RF transceiver for receiving the inbound RFsignal 594, which may be in the same frequency band as the outbound RFsignal 592 or a different frequency band.

FIG. 56 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna structure thatincludes the plurality of antenna elements 588 and the coupling circuit586. The coupling circuit 586 includes a plurality of transmission lines606 and two switching modules 610. Note that the coupling circuit 586may further include a plurality of transformer modules coupled to theplurality of transmission lines and/or a plurality of impedance matchingcircuits coupled to the plurality of transformer modules.

In this embodiment, the switching modules 610 couples one or more of theplurality of transmission lines 606 to the RF transceiver and to one ofthe plurality of antenna elements in accordance with the antennaconfiguration signal 600. In this manner, if the antenna elements havedifferent characteristics, then the coupling circuit 586, under thecontrol of the control module 584, may select an antenna element for theparticular mode of operation of the IC 580 to achieve a desired level ofRF communication. For example, one antenna element may be selected tohave a first polarization while a second antenna element is selected tohave a second polarization. As another example, one antenna element maybe selected to have a first radiation pattern while a second antennaelement is selected to have a second radiation pattern.

FIG. 57 is a diagram of an embodiment of an antenna array structure thatincludes a plurality of adjustable antenna structures and the couplingcircuit 586. Each of the adjustable antenna structures includes thetransmission line circuit 538, the antenna elements 550 and the couplingcircuits 552. While the antenna structures are shown to have a dipoleshape, they may be any other type of antenna structure including, butnot limited to, an infinitesimal antenna, a small antenna, a micro stripantenna, a meandering line antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipoleantenna, a helical antenna, a horizontal antenna, a vertical antenna, areflector antenna, a lens type antenna, and an aperture antenna.

In this embodiment, the antenna array includes four transmit (TX)antenna structures and four receive (RX) antenna structures, where theRX antenna structures are interleaved with the TX antenna structures. Inthis arrangement, the RX antennas have a first directional circularpolarization and the TX antennas have a second directional circuitpolarization. Note that the antenna array may include more or less RXand TX antennas than those shown in the present figure.

The coupling circuit 586 is operable to couple one or more of the TXantenna structures to the RF transceiver and to couple one or more ofthe RX antenna structures to the RF transceiver in accordance with theantenna configuration signal 600. The RF transceiver converts anoutbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal and converts aninbound RF signal into an inbound symbol stream, wherein the inbound andoutbound RF signals have a carrier frequency within a frequency band ofapproximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. In an embodiment, the coupling circuit586 includes a receive coupling circuit to provide the inbound RF signalfrom the plurality of receive antenna elements to the RF transceiver anda transmit coupling circuit to provide the outbound RF signal from theRF transceiver to the plurality of transmit antenna elements.

FIG. 58 is a diagram of an integrated circuit (IC) antenna structurethat includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area 620 in a die 30, 32,34, 36, 82, 272, or 282 and/or in a package substrate 22, 24, 26, 28,80, or 284. The IC antenna structure further includes a feed point 626and a transmission line 624, which may be coupled to an RF transceiver628. The RF transceiver 628 may be implemented in accordance with anyone of the RF transceivers previously discussed herein. Note that thecoupling of the transmission line 624 to the RF transceiver 628 mayinclude an impedance matching circuit and/or a transformer.

The MEM area 620 includes a three-dimensional shape, which may becylinder in shape, spherical in shape, box in shape, pyramid in shape,and/or a combination thereof that is micro-electromechanically createdwithin the die and/or package substrate. The MEM area 620 also includesan antenna structure 622 within its three dimensional-shape. The feedpoint 626 is coupled to provide an outbound radio frequency (RF) signalto the antenna structure 622 for transmission and to receive an inboundRF signal from the antenna structure 622. The transmission line 624includes a first line and a second line that are substantially parallel,where at least the first line is electrically coupled to the feed point.Note that the antenna structure may further include a ground plane 625,which is proximal to the antenna structure 622. Further note that suchan antenna structure may be used for point to point RF communications,which may be local communications and/or remote communications.

In one embodiment, the die supports the MEM area 620, the antennastructure, the feed point 626, and the transmission line 624 and thepackage substrate supports the die. In another embodiment, the diesupports the RF transceiver and the package substrate supports the die,the MEM area 620, the antenna structure 622, the feed point 626, and thetransmission line 624.

FIGS. 59-66 are diagrams of various embodiments of an antenna structure622 that may be implemented within the MEM three-dimensional area 620.FIGS. 59 and 60 illustrate aperture antenna structures of a rectangleshape 630 and a horn shape 632. In these embodiments, the feed point iselectrically coupled to the aperture antenna. Note that other apertureantenna structures may be created within the MEM three-dimensional area620. For example, a wave guide may be created.

FIG. 61 illustrates a lens antenna structure 634 that has a lens shape.In this embodiment, the feed point is positioned at a focal point of thelens antenna structure 634. Note that the lens shape may be differentthan the one illustrated. For example, the lens shape may be one-sidedconvex-shaped, one-sided concave-shaped, two-sided convex-shaped,two-sided concave-shaped, and/or a combination thereof.

FIGS. 62 and 63 illustrate three-dimensional dipole antennas that may beimplemented within the MEM three-dimensional area 620. FIG. 62illustrates a biconical shape antenna structure 636 and FIG. 63illustrates a bi-cylinder shape, or a bi-elliptical shape antennastructure 638. In these embodiments, the feed point 626 is electricallycoupled to the three-dimensional dipole antenna. Other three-dimensionaldipole antenna shapes include a bow tie shape, a Yagi antenna, etc.

FIGS. 64-66 illustrate reflector antennas that may be implemented withinthe MEM three-dimensional area 620. FIG. 64 illustrates a plane shapeantenna structure 640; FIG. 65 illustrates a corner shape antennastructure 642; and FIG. 66 illustrates a parabolic shape antennastructure 644. In these embodiments, the feed point 626 is positioned ata focal point of the antenna.

FIG. 67 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a lowefficiency integrated circuit (IC) antenna that includes an antennaelement 650 and a transmission line 652. The antenna element 650 is on afirst metal layer of a die of the IC. In one embodiment, the antennaelement 650 has a length less than approximately one-tenth of awavelength (e.g., an infinitesimal dipole antenna, a small dipoleantenna) for transceiving RF signals in a frequency band ofapproximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. In another embodiment, the antennaelement 650 has a length greater than one-and-one-half times thewavelength (e.g., a long dipole antenna) for transceiving RF signals inthe frequency band of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz. Regardless of theantenna element 650 length, the antenna element 650 may be implementedas a micro-strip, a plurality of micro-strips, a meandering line, and/ora plurality of meandering lines. Note that in an embodiment, the antennaelement may be a monopole antenna element or a dipole antenna.

The transmission line 652 is on the die and is electrically coupled tothe first feed points of the antenna element 650. In one embodiment, thetransmission line 652, which includes two lines, is directly coupled tothe RF transceiver. In another embodiment, the low efficiency IC antennastructure further includes a ground trace on a second metal layer of thedie, wherein the ground trace is proximal to the antenna element.

An application of the low efficient IC antenna structure may be on an ICthat includes a RF transceiver, a die, and a package substrate. The diesupports the RF transceiver and the package substrate that supports thedie. The RF transceiver functions to convert an outbound symbol streaminto an outbound RF signal and to convert an inbound RF signal into aninbound RF signal, wherein a transceiving range of the RF transceiver issubstantially localized within a device incorporating the IC, andwherein the inbound and outbound RF signals have a carrier frequency ina frequency range of approximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz.

The antenna structure includes the antenna element 650 and atransmission line circuit. The antenna element 650 has a length lessthan approximately one-tenth of a wavelength or greater thanone-and-one-half times the wavelength for a frequency band ofapproximately 55 GHz to 64 GHz to transceiver the inbound and outboundRF signals. The transmission line circuit, which includes thetransmission line 652 and may also include a transformer and/or animpedance matching circuit, couples the RF transceiver to the antennaelement. In one embodiment, the die supports the antenna element and thetransmission line circuit.

FIG. 68 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a lowefficiency integrated circuit (IC) antenna that includes an antennaelement 650 and a transmission line 652. The antenna element 650includes first and second metal traces. The first metal trace has afirst feed point portion and a first radiation portion, wherein thefirst radiation portion is at an angle of less than 90° and greater than0° with respect to the first feed point portion. The second metal tracehas a second feed point portion and a second radiation portion, whereinthe second radiation portion is at an angle of less than 90° and greaterthan 0° with respect to the second feed point portion. In thisembodiment, the fields produced by each metal trace do not fully canceleach other, thus a net radiation occurs.

FIG. 69 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a lowefficiency integrated circuit (IC) antenna that includes an antennaelement 650 and a transmission line 652. The antenna element 650includes first and second metal traces. The first metal trace has afirst feed point portion and a first radiation portion, wherein thefirst radiation portion is at an angle of less than 90° and greater than0° with respect to the first feed point portion. The second metal tracehas a second feed point portion and a second radiation portion, whereinthe second radiation portion is at an angle of less than 90° and greaterthan 0° with respect to the second feed point portion. In thisembodiment, the fields produced by each metal trace do not fully canceleach other, thus a net radiation occurs.

The low efficient IC antenna further includes first and secondtransformer lines electromagnetically coupled to the first and secondlines of the transmission line. In this embodiment, the first and secondtransformer lines produce a transformer for providing an outbound radiofrequency (RF) signal to the transmission line and for receiving aninbound RF signal from the transmission line.

FIG. 70 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a low efficientantenna structure that includes an antenna element 650, a transmissionline 652, and a transformer 656. In one embodiment, the transformer 656includes a single ended transformer winding and a differentialtransformer winding. The single ended transformer winding is coupled tothe first and second lines of the transmission line and is on the samemetal layer of the die as the transmission line 652. The differentialtransformer winding is electromagnetically coupled to the single endedtransformer winding is on a different metal layer of the die.

The transformer 656 may further include a second differentialtransformer winding electromagnetically coupled to the single endedtransformer winding. In one embodiment, the second differentialtransformer winding is on a third metal layer of the die, wherein thedifferential transformer winding provides an outbound radio frequency(RF) signal to the transmission line and the second differentialtransformer winding receives an inbound RF signal from the transmissionline.

Referring generally to the FIGS. 1-70, one or more integrated circuitsare presented that can be used in producing either a passive or activeRFID tag that communicates with a remote device such as an RFID reader.Such an integrated circuit provides an RF transceiver operating as anRFID interface for communication via RF signaling in a millimeter waveRF band such as a 60 GHz frequency band or other millimeter wave band, amicrowave frequency band, 900 MHz band, or other frequency band betweenone or more circuits of the integrated circuit and/or the remote RFIDreader via RF signaling between the RFID interface and the remote RFIDreader. An antenna section, such as one or more of the antennapreviously described or described further in conjunction with FIGS.71-81, is included on a die of the integrated circuit to facilitate suchcommunications. The RF signaling between the RFID interface and theremote RFID reader can include reception of a millimeter wave RFIDsignal from the remote RFID reader and the backscattering of themillimeter wave RFID signal by the RFID interface.

FIG. 71 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure based on power supply lines in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, a plurality of circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710of an integrated circuit each include a millimeter wave interface, suchas millimeter wave transceiver 702, for communicating data between theplurality of circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710 via millimeter wave RFsignaling. The integrated circuit may be a component of a personalcomputer, a laptop computer, a hand held computer, a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) access point, a WLAN station, a cellular telephone, anaudio entertainment device, a video entertainment device, a video gamecontrol and/or console, a radio, a cordless telephone, a cable set topbox, a satellite receiver, network infrastructure equipment, a cellulartelephone base station, Bluetooth head set or other device. Inoperation, the circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710 optionally interoperatevia the communication of data between millimeter wave transceivers 702to perform a function associated with the device.

The circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710 are powered via power supply lines720 and 722 that supply at least one power supply signal to theplurality of circuits. While the power supply signals are represented byVdd and Vss, these power supply signals can be a DC voltage and groundor other voltage and current signals used to supply power via one ormore power supply lines to the circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710. In anembodiment of the present invention, the at least one power supply lineincludes a plurality of antenna elements to facilitate the communicatingof data between the plurality of circuits via the millimeter wave RFsignaling.

In the circuit shown, power supply line 720 includes section 750, 752,754 and 756 that each operate as an antenna element to one of themillimeter wave transceivers 702. In operation, the inductors 730, 732,734, 736, 738, 740, 742, etc., isolate the antenna elements from oneanother. In particular, at the frequencies of the millimeter wave band,the inductors provide a high impedance that isolates an antenna elementfrom a neighboring antenna element. However, the inductors provide acurrent flow at low frequencies and DC operation to maintain each of thepower supply signals to each of the circuits 704, 706, 708 and 710.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each of the antenna elements750, 752, 754 and 756 is of a similar length and is sized to operate asa one-quarter wavelength or one-half wavelength monopole antenna.However, other antenna configurations are likewise possible includingthe implementation of one or more dipole antenna, helical antennas,polarized antennas or other antenna structures.

In an embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the circuits704, 706, 708 and/or 710 can include or operate as an RF bus controller,such as an RF bud controller described in conjunction with FIGS. 82-88,to mediate access to millimeter wave signaling used for communicationbetween each of the circuits. In particular, each of the circuits 704,706, 708 and 710 can operate in accordance with a shared access protocolthat controls transmission by the plurality of millimeter waveinterfaces to mitigate potential interference between these circuits.Further, while discussed above in terms of intra-chip communications,one or more of the millimeter wave transceivers can further operate toengage in communication of data with a remote device, such as a separateintegrated circuit or entirely separate device. In these circumstances,the RF bus controller can further operate to mediate the communicationof data with the remote device, in addition to the intra-chipcommunications described above.

FIG. 72 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a waveguidestructure based on power supply lines in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, a plurality of circuits 760 and 762 of anintegrated circuit each include a millimeter wave interface, such asmillimeter wave transceiver 702, for communicating data between theplurality of circuits 760, 762 via millimeter wave RF signaling. Theintegrated circuit may be a component of a personal computer, a laptopcomputer, a hand held computer, a wireless local area network (WLAN)access point, a WLAN station, a cellular telephone, an audioentertainment device, a video entertainment device, a video game controland/or console, a radio, a cordless telephone, a cable set top box, asatellite receiver, network infrastructure equipment, a cellulartelephone base station, Bluetooth head set or other device. Inoperation, the circuits 760 and 762 optionally interoperate via thecommunication of data between millimeter wave transceivers 702 toperform a function associated with the device.

The circuits 760 and 762 are powered via power supply lines 764 and 766that supply at least one power supply signal to the plurality ofcircuits. While the power supply signals are represented by Vdd and Vss,these power supply signals can be a DC voltage and ground or othervoltage and current signals used to supply power via one or more powersupply lines to the circuits 760 and 762. In an embodiment of thepresent invention, the power supply lines 764 and 766 form a waveguide775 to facilitate the communicating of data between the plurality ofcircuits via the millimeter wave RF signaling. In the circuit shown, theinductors 770, 772, 774 and 776 couple the circuits 760 and 762 andtheir millimeter wave interfaces to the waveguide 775. The inductorsprovide a current flow at low frequencies and DC operation to maintaineach of the power supply signals to each of the circuits 760 and 762.

In an embodiment of the present invention, particularly when additionalcircuits are coupled to the waveguide 775, one or more of the circuits760 and 762 can include or operate as an RF bus controller, such asdescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 82-88 to mediate access tomillimeter wave signaling used for communication between each of thecircuits. In particular, each of the circuits 760 and 762 can operate inaccordance with a shared access protocol that controls transmission bythe plurality of millimeter wave interfaces to mitigate potentialinterference between these circuits. Further, while discussed above interms of intra-chip communications, one or more of the millimeter wavetransceivers can further operate to engage in communication of data witha remote device, such as a separate integrated circuit or entirelyseparate device. In these circumstances, the RF bus controller canfurther operate to mediate the communication of data with the remotedevice, in addition to the intra-chip communications described above.

FIG. 73 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of awaveguide structure based on power supply lines in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular similar elements from FIG. 72 arereferred to by common reference numerals. Conductors 784 and 786, suchas power supply lines 764 and 766, are formed of metallic traces, stripsor other conductive elements to form waveguide 775 on a die or packagesubstrate 768. While not expressly shown, the conductors 784 and 786 arecoupled to a plurality of circuits 760, 762, etc. to provide power tothese circuits as well as a millimeter wave communication path.

FIG. 74 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, an integrated circuit is presented thatincludes a die 820 supported by a package substrate 822. The packagesubstrate 822 includes a plurality of bonding pads such as bonding pad806 that are coupled to pads, balls, pins or other couplers forconnecting the integrated circuit to other devices. In turn, each of thebonding pads is coupled to one or more bonding wires that connect tobonding pads of die 820, such as bonding pad 808. The die 820 includes acircuit 799, coupled to one of the bonding pads of die 820 that performsone or more functions associated with the integrated circuit. Millimeterwave transceiver 800 communicates via millimeter wave RF signaling withother devices via an antenna section formed via at least one bondingwire 804. Match circuit 802 provides impedance matching between theantenna 804 and the millimeter wave transceiver 800.

The integrated circuit may be a component of a personal computer, alaptop computer, a hand held computer, a wireless local area network(WLAN) access point, a WLAN station, a cellular telephone, an audioentertainment device, a video entertainment device, a video game controland/or console, a radio, a cordless telephone, a cable set top box, asatellite receiver, network infrastructure equipment, a cellulartelephone base station, Bluetooth head set or other device.

In operation, the circuit 799 communicates data between millimeter wavetransceivers 800 and another device to perform a function associatedwith the integrated circuit. The millimeter wave transceiver 800includes a millimeter wave receiver for receiving a first millimeterwave RF signal from the remote device and a millimeter wave transmitterfor transmitting a second millimeter wave signal to the remote device.

While not shown, one or more inductors can be includes in bonding wire804 or in series with bonding wire 804 to isolate the millimeter wave RFsignals produced by millimeter wave transceiver 800 from the bonding pad806.

The bonding wire 804 can be sized to a length that is substantiallyone-quarter of the wavelength of the millimeter wave RF signaling,one-half of the wavelength of the millimeter wave RF signaling, or toanother size. While the antenna is shown as being formed of a singlebonding wire 804, more complex configurations with multiple bondingwires can be used in implementing dipole antennas, polarized antennas,helical antennas, antenna elements of element of an antenna array, aphased array antenna system or other beam forming antenna or beamsteering antenna system.

FIG. 75 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, a integrated circuit formed by die 830 andsubstrate 832 is shown that is similar to the integrated circuit formedby die 820 and substrate 822. In this configuration however, a dipoleantenna is presented that is formed by bonding wires 814 and 814′ thatcouple the substrate bond pads 816 and 816′ to the die bond pads 818 and818′. The use of a plurality of antenna elements can provide differentbeam patterns, different polarizations and greater antenna gain.

FIG. 76 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, an integrated circuit formed by die 840 andsubstrate 842 is shown that is similar to the integrated circuits formedby die 820 and substrate 822, and die 830 and substrate 832. In thisconfiguration however, a polarized antenna is presented that is formedby bonding wires 824 and 824′ that couple the substrate bond pads 826and 826′ to the die bond pads 828 and 828′.

FIG. 77 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an antennastructure based on bonding wires in accordance with the presentinvention. In particular, an integrated circuit is shown that includes asubstrate 906, an integrated circuit die 902 having a circuit 900coupled to the substrate 906 via a bonding wire between bonding pads 920and 930 and a bonding wire between bonding pads 924 and 936. The circuit900 includes an intra-chip interface such as a millimeter wavetransceiver 800 and matching circuit 822 for facilitating intra-chipcommunication via millimeter wave signaling. Integrated circuit die 904includes a circuit 901 coupled to the substrate 906 via a bonding wirebetween bonding pads 922 and 932 and a bonding wire between bonding pads926 and 934. The circuit 901 also includes an intra-chip interface suchas a millimeter wave transceiver for facilitating intra-chipcommunication via millimeter wave signaling.

While the bonding wires can couple signals between the circuits 900 and901 and external devices via one or more pads, balls, pins, etc; circuit900 communicates with circuit 901 via their intra-chip interfaces.Further, the intra-chip interfaces communicate via electromagneticcouplings 910 and/or 912 between the bonding wires. Thus, while thebonding wires are electrically isolated from one another and not inelectrical contact, communication between pairs of bonding wires can beestablished via indicate coupling, capacitive coupling or far field RFcoupling.

In an embodiment of the present invention, one such electromagneticcoupling 910 and/or 912 can be an inductive or magnetic coupling formedby the mutual inductance between bonding wires. In this mode ofoperation, the bonding wires operate as a transformer to pass signalsbetween circuits 900 and 901. In another embodiment of the presentinvention, the electromagnetic coupling 910 and/or 912 can beimplemented via RF millimeter wave coupling where the bonding wires areoperating as far field antennas. In a further mode of operation, theelectromagnetic coupling 910 and/or 912 can be a capacitive couplingbetween closely spaced bonding wires.

It should be noted that different methods of electromagnetic couplingcan be used in implementing electromagnetic couplings 910 and 912 foroperation at different frequencies, in different interferenceconditions, based on a desired level of RF emissions from the integratedcircuit, or for redundancy, increased reliability or for security. In anembodiment of the present invention, an intra-chip interface of circuit900 and/or 901 initiates a first trial communication via oneelectromagnetic coupling (910 or 912) in a first mode of operation and asecond trial communication via the second electromagnetic coupling (theother of 910 or 912) in a second mode of operation. The intra-chipinterface then selects one of either the first mode of operation or thesecond mode of operation, based on first results of the first trialcommunication and second results of the second trial communication.

While the integrated circuit of FIG. 77 is shown with two such dies 902and 904, a greater number of dies may be similarly implemented. Further,while each die (902, 904) is shown with two such electromagneticcouplings, a greater number of electromagnetic couplings can likewise beimplemented on a single die.

FIG. 78 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is shown for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features described inconjunction with FIGS. 1-77. Step 1000 presents communicating betweenthe plurality of circuits of an integrated circuit via millimeter waveRF signaling facilitated by an antenna that includes an antenna elementformed from at least one power supply line of the integrated circuit.

FIG. 79 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is shown for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features described inconjunction with FIGS. 1-78. Step 1010 presents communicating between aplurality of circuits of an integrated circuit via millimeter wave RFsignaling facilitated by a waveguide formed from a plurality of powersupply lines of the integrated circuit.

FIG. 80 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is shown for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features described inconjunction with FIGS. 1-79. Step 1020 presents communicating with aremote device via millimeter wave RF signaling via an antenna thatincludes an antenna element formed by a bonding wire of an integratedcircuit.

FIG. 81 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is shown for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features described inconjunction with FIGS. 1-80. In step 1030, a first circuit of a firstintegrated circuit die is interfaced to a second circuit of a secondintegrated circuit via a first electromagnetic coupling between a firstbonding wire that couples the first circuit to the substrate and asecond bonding wire that couples the second circuit to the substrate,wherein the second bonding wire is electrically isolated from the firstbonding wire.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first electromagneticcoupling includes an inductive coupling, capacitive coupling, ormillimeter wave RF coupling between the first bonding wire and thesecond bonding wire. Step 1030 can include, in a first mode ofoperation, communicating via an RF millimeter wave coupling between thefirst bonding wire and the second bonding wire; and in a second mode ofoperation, communicating via a capacitive coupling between the firstbonding wire and the second bonding wire. Step 1030 can includeinitiating a first trial communication via the first mode of operationand a second trial communication via the second mode of operation andselecting one of: the first mode of operation, and the second mode ofoperation, based on first results of the first trial communication andsecond results of the second trial communication.

Step 1030 can include, in a first mode of operation, communicating viaan RF millimeter wave coupling between the first bonding wire and thesecond bonding wire; and in a second mode of operation, communicatingvia an inductive coupling between the first bonding wire and the secondbonding wire. Step 1030 can include, in a first mode of operation,communicating via an inductive coupling between the first bonding wireand the second bonding wire; and in a second mode of operation,communicating via a capacitive coupling between the first bonding wireand the second bonding wire.

When the first circuit is further coupled to the substrate via a thirdbonding wire, the second circuit is further coupled to the substrate viaa fourth bonding wire, and the fourth bonding wire is electricallyisolated from the third bonding wire; Step 1030 can further includecommunicating via a second electromagnetic coupling between the thirdbonding wire and the fourth bonding wire. The first electromagneticcoupling can be via one of: an inductive coupling, a capacitivecoupling, and a millimeter wave RF coupling and the secondelectromagnetic coupling can also be via one of: an inductive coupling,a capacitive coupling, and a millimeter wave RF coupling. The firstelectromagnetic coupling may or may not differ from the secondelectromagnetic coupling.

FIG. 82 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an RF bus thatcan be used in conjunction with the devices and methods described inconjunction with FIGS. 1-81. The RF bus interfaces a plurality ofintegrated circuits and or integrated circuit dies 1084, and 1086, andincludes an RF bus controller 1088. For example, the ICs 1084, 1086, canbe any of the ICs or IC dies that include an inductive interface such asinductive interface 22, 26, or 62, and/or that include a millimeter waveinterface such as millimeter wave interfaces 46 and 48. ICs 1084 and1086 each include a circuit such as a microprocessor, microcontroller,digital signal processor, programmable logic circuit, memory,application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), analog to digitalconverter (ADC), digital to analog converter (DAC), digital logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, graphics processor, or other analog ordigital circuit.

In this embodiment, IC 1084 includes a first radio frequency (RF) bustransceiver 1108 and IC 1086 includes a second RF bus transceiver 1110to support intra-device RF communications 1090 therebetween. Theintra-device RF communications 1090 may be RF data communications, RFinstruction communications, RF control signal communications, and/or RFinput/output communications that are transmitted via near-fieldcommunications, magnetic communications and/or millimeter wavecommunications. For example, data, control, operational instructions,and/or input/output signals (e.g., analog input signals, analog outputsignals, digital input signals, digital output signals) that aretraditionally conveyed between ICs via traces on a printed circuit boardare, in millimeter wave interface 1080 transmitted via the intra-deviceRF communications 1090. It should be noted that ICs 1084 and 1086 caninclude multiple RF buses that operate in different frequency bandsand/or with different modes of communications such as near-fieldcommunication, millimeter wave communication and magnetic communication.These multiple buses can operate separately or part of a multi-busarchitecture.

The intra-device RF communications 1090 may also include operatingsystem level communications and application level communications. Theoperating system level communications are communications that correspondto resource management of the millimeter wave interface 1080 loading andexecuting applications (e.g., a program or algorithm), multitasking ofapplications, protection between applications, device start-up,interfacing with a user of the millimeter wave interface 1080 etc. Theapplication level communications are communications that correspond tothe data conveyed, operational instructions conveyed, and/or controlsignals conveyed during execution of an application.

In an embodiment of the present invention the RF bus operates inaccordance with a shared access/multi-access protocol such as a timedivision multiple access protocol, a frequency division multiple accessprotocol, random access protocol and a code division multiple accessprotocol. The RF bus controller 1088 is coupled to control theintra-device RF communications 1090 between the first and second RF bustransceivers 1108, 1110. The RF bus controller 1088 may be a separate ICor it may be included in one of the ICs 1084, 1086. In operation, the RFbus controller arbitrates access to the RF bus. In an embodiment of thepresent invention, the RF bus controller is operable to receive an RFbus access request, determine RF bus resource availability, determinewhen sufficient RF bus resources are available, and allocate at leastone RF bus resource when sufficient RF bus resources are available.Also, the RF bus controller can optionally poll the plurality ofinductive interfaces, and allocate at least one RF bus resource inresponse to poll. Further, the RF bus controller can optionally receivea request to reserve at least one RF bus resource from one of theplurality of inductive interfaces, and reserve one or more RF busresources in response to the request.

In this embodiment, the intra-device RF communications 1090 occur over afree-space RF communication path. In other words, the intra-device RFcommunications 1090 are conveyed via the air. In another embodiment, theintra-device RF communications 1090 can occur via a waveguide RFcommunication path that, for instance, may be formed in amicro-electromechanical (MEM) area of the supporting substrate. In yetanother embodiment, a dielectric layer can provide a dielectric RFcommunication path for the intra-device RF communications 1090.

In an embodiment of present invention the RF bus controller 1088 furtherfunctions to select a communication path or communication as well as theparticular communications mode based on at least one aspect of one ofthe intra-device RF communications. For example, high data rate and/ornon-error tolerant communications (e.g., operating system levelcommunications) may occur over the waveguide RF communication path,while lower data rate and/or error tolerant communications (e.g., someportions of application level communications) may occur over thefree-space RF communication path. As another example, the aspect onwhich the RF communication path is selected may be user defined,operating system level defined, and/or pre-programmed into the device.As yet another example, the aspect may correspond to the IC initiatingan intra-device RF communication and/or the IC receiving it. As afurther example, the aspect may correspond to the number of intra-deviceRF communications 1090 an IC currently has in progress.

Further functions and features of the RF bus controller 1088 will bedescribed in greater detail with reference to the figures that follow.

FIG. 83 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an RF interface1080 that interfaces the ICs 1084, 1086 and includes the RF buscontroller 1088. In this embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088 includesan RF bus transceiver 1130, IC 1084 includes a circuit module 1132 andthe RF bus transceiver 1108, and IC 1086 includes a circuit module 1134and the RF bus transceiver 1110. The circuit modules 1132, 1134 may beany type of digital circuit, analog circuit, logic circuit, and/orprocessing circuit. For example, one of the circuit modules 1132, 1134may be, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a component of amicroprocessor, cache memory, read only memory, random access memory,programmable logic, digital signal processor, logic gate, amplifier,multiplier, adder, multiplexor, etc.

In this embodiment, the inter-device RF communication 1090, RF busrequests 1122, and the RF bus grants 1124 occur within the samefrequency spectrum. To minimize interference between the obtainingaccess to the RF bus and using the RF bus for the inter-device RFcommunications 1090, the bus controller 1088 controls access to thefrequency spectrum by allocating at least one communication slot perframe to the wireless interface and allocating at least one othercommunication slot per frame for the intra-device RF communications. Thecommunication slots may be time division multiple access (TDMA) slotswithin a TDMA frame, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) slots ofan FDMA frame, and/or code division multiple access (CDMA) slots of aCDMA frame. Note that in this embodiment, frame is equivalent to apacket.

FIG. 84 is a diagram of an example of a frame of obtaining access to anRF Bus. The frame, or packet, includes a controller inquiry field 1140,an IC response control field or fields 1142, a resource allocation fieldor fields 1144, and a data field or fields 1146. The RF bus controlleruses the controller inquiry field 1140 to determine whether one or moreICs have an up-coming need to access the RF bus. In one embodiment, theRF bus controller 1088 addresses a single IC per frame as to whether theIC has an up-coming need for the RF bus. In another embodiment, the RFbus controller 1088 addresses two or more ICs as to whether they have anup-coming need for the RF bus. The RF bus controller 1088 may be use apolling mechanism to address the ICs, which indicates how and when toresponse to the polling inquiry.

The ICs 1084, 1086 respond to the RF bus controller's query in the ICresponse control field or fields 1142. In one embodiment, the ICs sharea single IC response control field using a carrier sense multiple access(CSMA) with collision avoidance technique, using pre-assigned sub-slots,using a round robin technique, using a poll-respond technique, etc. Inanother embodiment, the ICs have their own IC response control field1142. In either embodiment, the ICs 1084, 1086 response includes anindication of whether it has data to convey via the RF bus, how muchdata to convey, the nature of the data (e.g., application data,application instructions, operating system level data and/orinstructions, etc.), the target or targets of the data, a priority levelof the requester, a priority level of the data, data integrityrequirements, and/or any other information relating to the conveyance ofthe data via the RF bus.

The RF bus controller 1088 uses the resource allocation field or fields1144 to grant access to the RF bus to one or more ICs 1084, 1086. In oneembodiment, the RF bus controller 1088 uses a single field to respond toone or more ICs. In another embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088responds to the ICs in separate resource allocation fields 1144. Ineither embodiment, the RF bus grant 1144 indicates when, how, and forhow long the IC has access to the RF bus during the one or more datafields 1146. Various embodiments of requesting and obtaining access tothe RF bus and transceiving via the RF bus will be described in greaterdetail with reference to the Figures that follow.

FIG. 85 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of the RFinterface 1080 that interfaces the ICs 1084, 1086 and includes the RFbus controller 1088. In this embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088includes an RF bus transceiver 1130. IC 1084 includes the circuit module1132 the RF bus transceiver 1108, and an RF transceiver 1160. IC 1086includes the circuit module 1134, the RF bus transceiver 1110, and an RFtransceiver 1152.

In this embodiment, the inter-device RF communications 1090 occur in adifferent frequency spectrum than the RF bus requests 1122 and the RFbus grants 1124. As such, they can occur simultaneously with minimalinterference. In this manner, the RF bus requests 1122 and RF bus grants1124 may be communicated using a CSMA with collision avoidancetechnique, a poll-response technique, allocated time slots of a TDMAframe, allocated frequency slots of an FDMA frame, and/or allocated codeslots of a CDMA frame in one frequency spectrum or using one carrierfrequency and the inter-device RF communications 1090 may use a CSMAwith collision avoidance technique, a poll-response technique, allocatedtime slots of a TDMA frame, allocated frequency slots of an FDMA frame,and/or allocated code slots of a CDMA frame in another frequencyspectrum or using another carrier frequency.

FIG. 86 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of themillimeter wave interface 1080 that interfaces a plurality of integratedcircuits (ICs) 1160, 1162 and includes the RF bus controller 1088, andan RF bus 1190. Each of the ICs 1160, 1162 includes a plurality ofcircuit modules 1170-1176 and each of the circuit modules 1170-1176includes a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver 1180-1186. The circuitmodules 1170-1176 may be any type of digital circuit, analog circuit,logic circuit, and/or processing circuit that can be implemented on anIC. For example, one of the circuit modules 1170-1176 may be, but is notlimited to, a microprocessor, a component of a microprocessor, cachememory, read only memory, random access memory, programmable logic,digital signal processor, logic gate, amplifier, multiplier, adder,multiplexer, etc.

In this embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088, which may be a separateIC or contained with one of the ICs 1160-1162, controls intra-IC RFcommunications 1192 between circuit modules 1170-1176 of different ICs1160, 1162 and controls inter-IC RF communications 1194 between circuitmodules 1170-1172 or 1174-1176 of the same IC. In this manner, at leastsome of the communication between ICs and between circuit modules of anIC is done wirelessly via the RF bus transceivers 1180-1186. Note thatthe circuit modules 1170-1172 may also be inter-coupled with one or moretraces within the IC 1160, the circuit modules 1174-1176 may also beinter-coupled with one or more traces within the IC 1162, and that IC1160 may be coupled to IC 1162 via one or more traces on a supportingsubstrate (e.g., a printed circuit board).

The intra-IC RF communications 1192 and the inter-IC RF communications1194 may be RF data communications, RF instruction communications, RFcontrol signal communications, and/or RF input/output communications.For example, data, control, operational instructions, and/orinput/output communications (e.g., analog input signals, analog outputsignals, digital input signals, digital output signals) that aretraditionally conveyed between ICs via traces on a printed circuit boardare at least partially transmitted by the RF bus transceivers 1180-1186via the RF bus 1190.

The intra-IC RF communications 1192 and/or the inter-IC RFcommunications 1194 may also include operating system levelcommunications and application level communications. The operatingsystem level communications are communications that correspond toresource management of the millimeter wave interface 1080 loading andexecuting applications (e.g., a program or algorithm), multitasking ofapplications, protection between applications, device start-up,interfacing with a user of the device, etc. The application levelcommunications are communications that correspond to the data conveyed,operational instructions conveyed, and/or control signals conveyedduring execution of an application.

The RF bus 1190 may be one or more of a free-space RF communication path1096, a waveguide RF communication path 1098, and/or a dielectric RFcommunication path 1100. For example, the RF bus 1190 may include atleast one data RF bus, at least one instruction RF bus, and at least onecontrol RF bus for intra-IC RF communications 1192 and the inter-IC RFcommunications 1194. In this example, intra-IC RF data communications1192 may occur over a free-space RF communication path 1096, while theintra-IC RF instruction and/or control communications 1192 may occurover a waveguide RF communication path 1098 and/or a dielectric RFcommunication path 1100 within the IC 1160 or 1162. Further, inter-IC RFdata communications 1194 may occur over a free-space RF communicationpath, while the intra-IC RF instruction and/or control communications1194 may occur over a waveguide RF communication path magneticcommunication path and/or a dielectric RF communication path within asupporting substrate of the ICs 1160-1162. As an alternative example,the inter- and intra-IC communications 1192-1194 may occur over multiplewaveguide RF communication paths, multiple dielectric RF communicationpaths, and/or multiple free-space RF communication paths (e.g., usedifferent carrier frequencies, distributed frequency patterns, TDMA,FDMA, CDMA, etc.).

FIG. 87 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of themillimeter wave interface 1080 that interfaces a plurality of integratedcircuits (ICs) 1160, 1162, and includes the RF bus controller 1088, aplurality of inter-IC RF buses 196, and an intra-IC RF bus 198. Each ofthe ICs 1160, 1162 includes a plurality of circuit modules 1170-1176 anda serial interface module 1200-1202. Each of the circuit modules1170-1176 includes a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver 1180-1186.

In this embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088 is coupled to the ICs1160-1162 via a serial link 1204, such as a wireline link, to controlaccess to the inter-IC RF buses 1196 and to the intra-IC RF bus 1198.For instance, when a circuit module 1170-1176 has data to transmit toanother circuit module 1170-1176 of the same IC or of a different IC,the requesting circuit module 1170-1176 provides an RF bus request tothe RF bus controller 1088 via the serial link 1204 and thecorresponding serial interface module 200-202. The serial link 1204 andthe corresponding serial interface modules 200-202 may be a standardizedprotocol, a de-facto standard protocol, or a proprietary protocol.

The RF bus controller 1088 processes the RF bus request, as will bedescribed in greater detail with reference to figures that follow, todetermine at least one of whether the requester needs access to one ofthe plurality of inter-IC RF buses 1196 or to the intra-IC RF bus 1198,how much data it has to send, the type of the data, the location of thetarget circuit module(s), the priority of the requestor, the priority ofthe data, etc. When the RF bus controller 1088 has determined how andwhen the requestor is to access the RF bus 1196 and/or 1198, the RF buscontroller 1088 provides an RF bus grant to the requester via the seriallink 1204.

As shown, the intra-IC RF bus 1198 supports intra-IC RF communications1194 and the plurality of inter-IC RF buses 1196 support correspondinginter-IC RF communications 1192. In this manner, multiple inter-IC RFcommunications 1192 may be simultaneously occurring and may also occursimultaneously with one or more intra-IC RF communications 1194.

FIG. 88 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of RFinterface 1080 that interfaces a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs)1160, 1162, and includes the RF bus controller 1088, a plurality ofinter-IC RF buses 1196, and an intra-IC RF bus 1198. Each of the ICs1160, 1162 includes a plurality of circuit modules 1170-1176 and an RFtransceiver 1210-1212 that can be implemented by any of the millimeterwave transceivers or other electromagnetic interfaces previouslydescribed. Each of the circuit modules 1170-1176 includes a radiofrequency (RF) bus transceiver 1180-1186 and the RF bus controller 1088includes the RF bus transceiver 1130.

In this embodiment, the RF bus controller 1088 is coupled to the ICs1160-1162 via a wireless link 1214, such as an near field, far field,inductive, capacitive or other electromagnetic link to control access tothe inter-IC RF buses 1196 and to the intra-IC RF bus 1198. Forinstance, when a circuit module 1170-1176 has data to transmit toanother circuit module 1170-1176 of the same IC or of a different IC,the requesting circuit module 1170-1176 provides an RF bus request tothe RF bus controller 1088 via the wireless link 1214 and the RFtransceiver 1210-1212. The wireless link 1214 and the corresponding RFtransceivers 1210-1212 may be a standardized protocol, a de-factostandard protocol, or a proprietary protocol.

The RF bus controller 1088 processes the RF bus request, as will bedescribed in greater detail with reference to Figures that follow, todetermine at least one of whether the requester needs access to one ofthe plurality of inter-IC RF buses 1196 or to the intra-IC RF bus 1198,how much data it has to send, the type of the data, the location of thetarget circuit module(s), the priority of the requestor, the priority ofthe data, etc. When the RF bus controller 1088 has determined how andwhen the requestor is to access the RF bus 1196 and/or 1198, the RF buscontroller 1088 provides an RF bus grant to the requester via thewireless link 1214.

In one embodiment, the RF bus transceiver 1130 operates within a firstfrequency band and the intra-IC RF communications 1192 and the inter-ICRF communications 1194 occur within the first frequency band. In thisinstance, the RF bus controller 1088 allocates at least onecommunication slot to the wireless interface link 1214, allocates atleast one other communication slot for the intra-IC RF communications1192, and allocates at least another communication slot for the inter-ICRF communications 1194. The communication slots may be time divisionmultiple access (TDMA) slots, frequency division multiple access (FDMA)slot, and/or code division multiple access (CDMA) slots.

In another embodiment, the RF bus transceiver 1130 operates within afirst frequency band, the intra-IC RF communications 1192 occur withinthe first frequency band, and the inter-IC RF communications 1194 occurwithin a second frequency band. In this instance, the RF bus controller1088 allocates at least one communication slot in the first frequencyband to the wireless link 1214 and allocates at least one othercommunication slot in the first frequency band for the intra-IC RFcommunications 11192. The communication slots may be time divisionmultiple access (TDMA) slots, frequency division multiple access (FDMA)slot, and/or code division multiple access (CDMA) slots.

In another embodiment, the RF bus transceiver 1130 operates within afirst frequency band, the inter-IC RF communications 1194 occur withinthe second frequency band, and the intra-IC RF communications 1192 occurwithin the frequency band. In this instance, the RF bus controller 1088allocates at least one communication slot in the second frequency bandto the wireless link 1214 and allocates at least one other communicationslot in the second frequency band for the inter-IC RF communications1194. The communication slots may be time division multiple access(TDMA) slots, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) slot, and/orcode division multiple access (CDMA) slots.

In another embodiment, the RF bus transceiver 1130 operates within afirst frequency band, the intra-IC RF communications 1192 occur withinthe second frequency band, and the inter-IC RF communications 1194 occurwithin a third frequency band. With the different types of communication(e.g., RF bus access, inter-IC, and intra-IC) occurring within differentfrequency bands, the different types of communication may occursimultaneously with minimal interference from each other.

FIG. 89 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention. In particular, an integratedcircuit 1201 is shown that includes circuits 1200, 1210, 1220 and 1230that are powered via power supply signals that are distributed overpower supply lines 1204, 1214, 1224, and 1234. The circuits 1200, 1210,1220 and 1230 can be analog circuits, digital circuits or a combinationthereof that are powered via one or more direct current (DC) powersupply signals that are supplied to the integrated circuit 1201 via oneor more pads, posts or other external connections. These power supplysignals generally fall within the range of 1.0 to 9.0 volts, thoughgreater or lesser voltages can be employed depending on the particularelements used to construct these circuits.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the circuits1200, 1210, 1220 and 1230 can be circuits that implement a system on achip integrated circuit used in a communication device such as set-topbox, modem, game device, personal digital assistant, wireless telephone,personal computer, access point, router, base station, Bluetooth device,RFID reader, RFID tag, or other communication device, however,integrated circuit 1201 can be any other type of integrated circuit thatincludes multiple discrete circuits. Circuits 1200, 1210, 1220 and 1230can include a microprocessor, micro-controller, digital signalprocessor, microcomputer, central processing unit, field programmablegate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logic circuitry,analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that manipulatessignals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of the circuitryand/or operational instructions; a memory such as a random access memoryor read only memory; a receiver, transmitter or full transceiver; aswitch matrix; a device interface; or other circuit that includes activecircuit components that operate based on one or more supply voltagessuch as field effect transistors (FETs); bipolar junction transistors,metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET), N-welltransistors, P-well transistors, enhancement mode, depletion mode, andzero voltage threshold (VT) transistors, etc.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each of the circuits 1200,1210, 1220 and 1230 are implemented on a single die of integratedcircuit 1201, however, two or more separate dies can similarly beemployed. Each of the circuits 1200, 1210, 1220, and 1230 can operatevia the same power supply signals. In this case, the couplings 1206 canbe electrical connections such as strip lines, bonding wires or otherelectrical connections that couple the power supply lines 1204, 1214,1224, and 1234 together at DC, making each of the power supply lines1204, 1212, 1224, 1234 operate together as a single set of power supplylines that route one or more power supply signals throughout theintegrated circuit 1201. In the alternative, one or more of the circuits1200, 1210, 1220 and/or 1230 can operate via different power supplysignals and one or more of the couplings 1206, 1216, 1226 and/or 1236can include a high pass filter that blocks the power supply signalswhile passing the clock clocks signals used by the circuits andcommunicated via the power supply lines 1204, 1214, 1224 and 1234. Whilefour circuits 1200, 1210, 1220 and 1230 are illustrated a greater offewer number of circuits can be implemented, based on the particularfunction and design of integrated circuit 1201.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the circuits 1200,1210, 1220 and 1230, operate based on one or more clock signals having amillimeter wave fundamental frequency, such as a V-band frequency. Theseclock signals are generated by one of the circuits, in this case circuit1200, and distributed via the power supply lines 1204, 1214, 1224, and1234 and the couplings 1206, 1216, 1226 to the other circuits 1210,1220, and 1230. In this fashion, one clock generator can be used, and asingle common time-base can be used to facilitate potential coordinatedactivities between the circuits 1200, 1210, 1220 and 1230.

FIG. 90 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an intra-chipclock interface in accordance with the present invention. In particular,a intra-chip clock interface 1320 is shown, such as intra-chip clockinterface 1202. One or more clock signals 1298 are received from a clockgenerator included in a circuit such as circuit 1200. The clock signals1298 may be used by the circuit 1200 as a time base or generatedspecifically to be shared with other circuits of an integrated circuitas a common time base. As discussed in conjunction with FIG. 89, theclock signals 1298 may include one or more individual clock signals thathave a V-band or other millimeter wave fundamental frequency.

The optional signal conditioner 1300 conditions the clock signals 1298to create conditioned clock signals 1302 that are suitable to beintroduced on the power supply lines 1306. For instance, when the clocksignals 1298 are square-wave signals or other signals with fastrise-times, sharp edges or other properties that generate high frequencyharmonics, the signal conditioner 1300 can include one or more low-passfilters or notch filters to produce a cleaner, more sinusoidal signalfor transmission via power supply lines 1306. Driver 1304 includes apower amplifier or other driver circuit for producing the conditionedclock signals 1302 or clock signals 1298 on the power supply lines 1306with sufficient amplitude for transmission to other circuits, such ascircuits 1210, 1220 and 1230. In accordance with the present invention,the driver 1304 can include an antenna and impedance matching network orother electromagnetic coupling to couple the conditioned clock signals1302 or clock signals 1298 to the power supply lines 1306, such as thepower supply lines 1204. Where a single clock signal 1298 istransmitted, driver 1304 can be a narrowband device that is tuned to thefundamental frequency of the clock signal 1298. Where multiple clocksignals 1298 of different frequency are transmitted, signal conditioner1300 can include individual signal conditioners for conditioning theindividual clock signals 1298 and a summing circuit for superimposingthe individual clock signals to form a multi-frequency signal thatincludes the conditioned clock signals 1302. In this instance, thedriver 1304 can be a broadband power amplifier with sufficient bandwidthto encompass the frequencies of the individual clock signals 1298.

FIG. 91 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular an intra-chip clock interface 1322, such as intra-chip clockinterfaces 1212, 1222 and/or intra-chip clock interface 1232 ispresented to generate recovered clock signals 1314 from power supplylines 1316, such as power supply lines, 1214, 1224, and/or 1234.Amplifier 1308 recovers the conditioned clock signals 1302 or clocksignals 1298 from the power supply lines 1316 with sufficient amplitudeto generate recover clock signals 1314 or to drive the signalconditioner 1310 and/or divider network 1312. In accordance with thepresent invention, the amplifier 1308 can include an antenna andimpedance matching network or other electromagnetic coupling to receiverthe conditioned clock signals 1302 or clock signals 1298 from the powersupply lines 1316. Where a single clock signal 1298 is transmitted,amplifier 1308 can be a narrowband device that is tuned to thefundamental frequency of the clock signal 1298. Where multiple clocksignals 1298 of different frequency are transmitted, the amplifier 1308can be a broadband amplifier with sufficient bandwidth to encompass thefrequencies of the individual clock signals 1298.

Intra-chip clock interface 1322 includes a clock generation modulehaving an optional signal conditioner 1310 and optional divider network1312. The optional signal conditioner 1310 can include a comparator withhysteresis, a clipping circuit or other signal conditioner thatgenerates a clock signal of desired shape from the conditioned clocksignals 1302 or clock signals 1298 that are received. Where multipleclock signals 1298 of different frequency are received, signalconditioner 1310 can include filters for isolating the different clocksignals along with individual signal conditioners for conditioning theindividual clock signals 1298. Whether a single clock signal 1298 ormultiple clock signals 1298 are received, optional divider network 1312can include one or more frequency dividers or fractional frequencydividers for creating one or more additional recovered clock signals1314 at lower frequencies for use in the operation of the associatedcircuit, such as circuit 1210, 1220, or 1230.

FIG. 92 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a coupling inaccordance with the present invention. In particular a coupling 1318,such as coupling 1206, 1216 and/or coupling 1226 is shown for couplingpower supply lines 1306 to power supply lines 1316, such as power supplylines 1204 to power supply lines 1214, power supply lines 1214 to powersupply lines 1224, power supply lines 1224 to power supply lines 1234,etc.

While, in other embodiments discussed, these couplings can includeelectrical connections, in the embodiment shown, capacitors are used asa high pass filter to pass the clock signals, such as 1298 orconditioned clock signals 1302, while bi-directionally attenuating theDC power supply signals present on these power supply lines. While aparticular configuration is shown where the resistance of the powersupply lines 1306 and/or 1316 are used to generate a high-pass filter,other filters can be likewise employed to pass the clock signals, suchas 1298 or conditioned clock signals 1302, while preventing the DC powersupply signals present on one set of power supply lines from interferingwith the power supply signal on the other power supply lines.

FIG. 93 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention. In particular, an integratedcircuit 1418 is shown that includes integrated circuit dies 1430 and1434 supported by a supporting substrate 1494 that includes a magneticcommunication path 1498. The magnetic communication path 1498 is alignedwith the intra-chip clock interfaces 1420 and 1424 to communicate one ormore clock signals between the integrated circuit dies 1430 and 1434inductively or otherwise magnetically, via the magnetic communicationpath 1498.

The integrated circuit dies 1430 and 1434 each include one or morecircuits that can be analog circuits, digital circuits or a combinationthereof that, for instance, implement a system on a chip integratedcircuit used in a communication device such as set-top box, modem, gamedevice, personal digital assistant, wireless telephone, personalcomputer, access point, router, base station, Bluetooth device, RFIDreader, RFID tag, or other communication device. However, integratedcircuit 1418 can be any other type of integrated circuit that includesmultiple discrete circuits. The integrated circuit dies 1430 and 1434each include circuits such as a microprocessor, micro-controller,digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions; a memory such as a randomaccess memory or read only memory; a receiver, transmitter or fulltransceiver; a switch matrix; a device interface; or other circuit thatincludes active circuit components such as field effect transistors(FETs); bipolar junction transistors, metal oxide semiconductor fieldeffect transistors (MOSFET), N-well transistors, P-well transistors,enhancement mode, depletion mode, and zero voltage threshold (VT)transistors, etc.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the circuits ofintegrated circuit dies 1430 and 1434, operate based on one or moreclock signals having a millimeter wave fundamental frequency, such as aV-band frequency. These clock signals are generated by one of thecircuits of one of the integrated circuit dies, and distributed viamagnetic communication path 1498 of supporting substrate 1494 to theother circuits. In this fashion, one clock generator can be used, and asingle common time-base can be used to facilitate potential coordinatedactivities between the circuits of integrated circuit dies 1430 and1434. While two integrated circuit dies 1430 and 1434 are shown, agreater number of dies can be implemented, based on the particularfunction and design of integrated circuit 1418.

FIG. 94 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular, an intra-chip clock interface 1420 is shown. One or moreclock signals 1398 are received from a clock generator included in acircuit such as circuit a circuit of integrated circuit die 1434. Theclock signals may be used by this circuit as a time base or generatedspecifically to be shared with other circuits of an integrated circuitas a common time base. As discussed in conjunction with FIG. 93, theclock signals 1398 may include one or more individual clock signals thathave a V-band or other millimeter wave fundamental frequency.

The optional signal conditioner 1400 conditions the clock signals 1398to create conditioned clock signals 1402 that are suitable to beintroduced on the magnetic communication path 1406. For instance, whenthe clock signals 1398 are square-wave signals or other signals withfast rise-times, sharp edges or other properties that generate highfrequency harmonics, the signal conditioner 1400 can include one or morelow-pass filters or notch filters to produce a cleaner, more sinusoidalsignal for transmission via magnetic communication path 1498. Driver1404 can include a power amplifier or other driver circuit for producingthe transmitting the clock signals 1402 or clock signals 1398 via thecoil 1405 on the magnetic communication path 1498 with sufficientamplitude for transmission to other circuits, such as the circuits ofintegrated circuit die 1430. In accordance with the present invention,the driver 1404 can an impedance matching network or otherelectromagnetic coupling to couple the conditioned clock signals 1402 orclock signals 1398 to coil 1405. Where a single clock signal 1398 istransmitted, driver 1404 can be a narrowband device that is tuned to thefundamental frequency of the clock signal 1398. Where multiple clocksignals 1398 of different frequency are transmitted, signal conditioner1400 can include individual signal conditioners for conditioning theindividual clock signals 1398 and a summing circuit for superimposingthe individual clock signals to form a multi-frequency signal thatincludes the conditioned clock signals 1402. In this instance, thedriver 1404 can be a broadband power amplifier with sufficient bandwidthto encompass the frequencies of the individual clock signals 1398.

FIG. 95 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular an intra-chip clock interface 1422 is presented to generaterecovered clock signals 1414. Amplifier 1408 recovers the conditionedclock signals 1402 or clock signals 1398 from the magnetic communicationpath 1498, via the coil 1407, with sufficient amplitude to generaterecover clock signals 1414 or to drive the signal conditioner 1410and/or divider network 1412. In accordance with the present invention,the amplifier 1408 can include an impedance matching network or otherelectromagnetic coupling to receive the conditioned clock signals 1402or clock signals 1398 via the coil 1407. Where a single clock signal1398 is transmitted, amplifier 1408 can be a narrowband device that istuned to the fundamental frequency of the clock signal 1398. Wheremultiple clock signals 1398 of different frequency are transmitted, theamplifier 1408 can be a broadband amplifier with sufficient bandwidth toencompass the frequencies of the individual clock signals 1398.

Intra-chip clock interface 1422 includes a clock generation modulehaving an optional signal conditioner 1410 and optional divider network1412. The optional signal conditioner 1410 can include a comparator withhysteresis, a clipping circuit or other signal conditioner thatgenerates a clock signal of desired shape from the conditioned clocksignals 1402 or clock signals 1398 that are received. Where multipleclock signals 1398 of different frequency are received, signalconditioner 1410 can include filters for isolating the different clocksignals along with individual signal conditioners for conditioning theindividual clock signals 1398. Whether a single clock signal 1398 ormultiple clock signals 1398 are received, optional divider network 1412can include one or more frequency dividers or fractional frequencydividers for creating one or more additional recovered clock signals1414 at lower frequencies for use in the operation of the associatedcircuit, such as one or more circuits of integrated circuit die 1430.

FIG. 96 is a top view of an embodiment of an on-chip coil in accordancewith the present invention. In particular, a coil 1330, such as coil 405and/or 407 is shown. As shown, the first turns 1332 includes metalbridges 1334 and 1336 to couple various sections of the windingtogether. The first turn is on dielectric layer 1338, while the metalbridges 1334 and 1336 are on a lower dielectric layer, which enables thefirst turns to maintain their symmetry. Optional removed dielectricsections 1333 and 1335 are shown that provides greater magnetic couplingto the second turns that are below. The removed dielectric sections 1333and 1335 can be removed using a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)technology such as dry etching, wet etching, electro-dischargemachining, or using other integrated circuit fabrication techniques. Theremaining elements of the coil 1330 can be created by etching,depositing, and/or any other method for fabricating components on anintegrated circuit.

FIG. 97 is a side view of a coil 1330 in accordance with the presentinvention. As shown, dielectric layer 1338 supports the first turns1332. A lower layer, dielectric layer 1348, supports metal bridges 1334and 1336. Utilizing conventional integrated circuit technologies, themetal bridges 1334 and 1336 are coupled to the corresponding portions ofthe first turns 1332. As further shown, dielectric layer 1380 supportsthe second turns 1370 while dielectric layer 1376 supports the metalbridges 1372 and 1374. The first turns 1332 and the second turns 1370are coupled together by via 1337. As discussed above, removed dielectricsection 1335 removes portions of both dielectric layers 1338 and 1348 toimprove the magnetic coupling between the first turns 1332 and secondturns 1370.

FIG. 98 is a bottom view of a coil 330 in accordance with the presentinvention. As shown, the second turn 1370 on dielectric layer 1376 andthe metal bridges 1372 and 1374 couple the winding of the second turnstogether. The second turns have a symmetrical pattern and is similar tothe winding of the first turns 1332. As one of average skill in the artwill appreciate, the first and second turns may include more or lessturns, and additional turns may also be disposed on additionaldielectric layers.

It should be noted that while FIGS. 96-98 present a particularconfiguration of an on-chip coil, other on-chip coil configurations canlikewise be employed with the broad scope of the present invention. Sucha coil 330 can be implemented with a fewer or greater number of turnsthat is shown, on an integrated circuit die, a substrate or partially onboth. In a particular configuration the on-chip coil can be implementedon a substrate around a die or a stack of dies that contain theremaining components of the corresponding intra-chip clock interfaces1420 or 1422, along the periphery of an integrated circuit die or inother configurations.

FIG. 99 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a magneticcommunication path in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular, magnetic communication path 1498 can include two coils 1458and 1459 that are coupled together and that are aligned with the coils1405 and 1407 of the intra-chip clock interfaces 1420 and 1422. Inoperation, the pairs of coils (1405, 1458) and (1459, 1407) aresimilarly sized or sized with substantially the same dimensions tofacilitate their alignment and to facilitate the inductive couplingbetween the coil pairs. In particular, these coils can be implemented intheir corresponding IC die or substrate so that these coils can beaxially and/or planarly aligned. Magnetic flux from coil 1405 isreceived by coil 1458 and converted to an electrical signal thatgenerates a corresponding electrical flux via coil 1459 that is receivedby coil 1407.

FIG. 100 is a schematic block diagram of magnetic communication path inaccordance with another embodiment the present invention. In particular,magnetic communication path 1498′ operates in place of magneticcommunication path 1498, yet with magnetically conductive material 1496provided in place of coils 1458 and 1459. In particular, the substrateof an IC such as IC 1418, is provided with one or more ferrite rods, apowdered iron structure, another ferromagnetic material or othermagnetically conductive material that conducts magnetic flux from coil1405 to coil 1407. In operation, the coils 1405 and 1407 are aligned tothe magnetically conductive path 1498′ to facilitate the inductivecoupling between the coils 1405 and 1407. Magnetic flux from coil 1405that conveys the clock signals 1398 or conditioned clock signals 1402 isreceived by coil 1407.

FIG. 101 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention. In particular, a portion ofintegrated circuit 1419 is shown with die 1470, such as IC die 1430 or1434, bonded to package substrate 1472, such as supporting substrate1494. A cross section is shown that identifies a region of die 1470 thatincludes a portion of coil 1474, such as coil 1405 or 1407. Further,this cross section also identifies a region of package substrate 1472that includes a portion of magnetic communication path 1496, such asmagnetic communication path 1498 or 1498′. As shown by the regions ofthe coil 1474 and magnetic communication path 1496 that are included inthis cross section, these portions are aligned to facilitate theconduction of magnetic flux therebetween.

FIG. 102 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention. In particular, while FIGS.93-101 have focused on integrated circuits having a supporting substratethat includes a magnetic communication path that facilitates thecommunication between two IC dies with intra-chip clock interfaces, IC1451 presents a top view, not to scale, of an integrated circuit thatincludes a magnetic communication path 1497, such as magneticcommunication path 1496, 1498 or 1498′, that couples eight integratedcircuit dies 1449. While each of these eight IC dies 1449 are referredto by common reference numerals, they can be implemented each withdifferent circuits or two or more circuits that are the same. Each ofthe integrated circuit dies 1449 is shown having a coil in the region1447 that is aligned with a portion of the magnetic communication path1497 that lies in the supporting substrate that is beneath theintegrated circuit dies 1449. While not expressly shown, one or more ICdies could likewise be disposed below the substrate with coils inalignment with the magnetic communication path 1497. In this fashion,magnetic communication path 1497 couples intra-chip clock interfaces,such as intra-chip clock interfaces 1420 or 1422 of a plurality of ICdies above the supporting substrate and also below the supportingsubstrate

FIG. 103 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a devicein accordance with the present invention. In particular, an integratedcircuit 1518 is shown that includes integrated circuit dies 1530 and1534 supported by a supporting substrate 1594 that includes a waveguide1598. The waveguide 1598 is aligned with the intra-chip clock interfaces1520 and 1524 to communicate one or more clock signals between theintegrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534 at RF frequencies.

The integrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534 each include one or morecircuits that can be analog circuits, digital circuits or a combinationthereof that, for instance, implement a system on a chip integratedcircuit used in a communication device such as set-top box, modem, gamedevice, personal digital assistant, wireless telephone, personalcomputer, access point, router, base station, Bluetooth device, RFIDreader, RFID tag, or other communication device. However, integratedcircuit 1518 can be any other type of integrated circuit that includesmultiple discrete circuits. The integrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534each include circuits such as a microprocessor, micro-controller,digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions; a memory such as a randomaccess memory or read only memory; a receiver, transmitter or fulltransceiver; a switch matrix; a device interface; or other circuit thatincludes active circuit components such as field effect transistors(FETs); bipolar junction transistors, metal oxide semiconductor fieldeffect transistors (MOSFET), N-well transistors, P-well transistors,enhancement mode, depletion mode, and zero voltage threshold (VT)transistors, etc.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the circuits ofintegrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534, operate based on one or moreclock signals having a millimeter wave fundamental frequency, such as aV-band frequency. These clock signals are generated by one of thecircuits of one of the integrated circuit dies, and distributed viawaveguide 1598 of supporting substrate 1594 to the other circuits. Inthis fashion, one clock generator can be used, and a single commontime-base can be used to facilitate potential coordinated activitiesbetween the circuits of integrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534. While twointegrated circuit dies 1530 and 1534 are shown, a greater number ofdies can be implemented, based on the particular function and design ofintegrated circuit 1518.

FIG. 104 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular, an intra-chip clock interface 1520 is shown. One or moreclock signals 1499 are received from a clock generator included in acircuit such as circuit a circuit of integrated circuit die 1534. Theclock signals may be used by this circuit as a time base or generatedspecifically to be shared with other circuits of an integrated circuitas a common time base. As discussed in conjunction with FIG. 103, theclock signals 1398 may include one or more individual clock signals thathave a V-band or other millimeter wave fundamental frequency.

The optional signal conditioner 1500 conditions the clock signals 1499to create conditioned clock signals 1502 that are suitable to beintroduced on the waveguide 1598. For instance, when the clock signals1499 are square-wave signals or other signals with fast rise-times,sharp edges or other properties that generate high frequency harmonics,the signal conditioner 1500 can include one or more low-pass filters ornotch filters to produce a cleaner, more sinusoidal signal fortransmission via the waveguide 1598. Driver 1504 can include a poweramplifier or other driver circuit for producing the transmitting theclock signals 1502 or clock signals 1499 via the antenna 1505 andwaveguide 1598 with sufficient amplitude for transmission to othercircuits, such as the circuits of integrated circuit die 1530. Inaccordance with the present invention, the driver 1504 can an impedancematching network or other electromagnetic coupling to couple theconditioned clock signals 1502 or clock signals 1499 to the antenna 1405and the waveguide 1598. Where a single clock signal 1499 is transmitted,driver 1504 can be a narrowband device that is tuned to the fundamentalfrequency of the clock signal 1499. Where multiple clock signals 1499 ofdifferent frequency are transmitted, signal conditioner 1500 can includeindividual signal conditioners for conditioning the individual clocksignals 1499 and a summing circuit for superimposing the individualclock signals to form a multi-frequency signal that includes theconditioned clock signals 1502. In this instance, the driver 1504 can bea broadband power amplifier with sufficient bandwidth to encompass thefrequencies of the individual clock signals 1499.

FIG. 105 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of anintra-chip clock interface in accordance with the present invention. Inparticular an intra-chip clock interface 1522 is presented to generaterecovered clock signals 1514. Amplifier 1508 recovers the conditionedclock signals 1502 or clock signals 1499 from the waveguide 1598, viathe antenna 1407, with sufficient amplitude to generate recover clocksignals 1514 or to drive the signal conditioner 1510 and/or dividernetwork 1512. In accordance with the present invention, the amplifier1508 can include an impedance matching network or other electromagneticcoupling to receive the conditioned clock signals 1502 or clock signals1499 via the antenna 1507 and the waveguide 1598. Where a single clocksignal 1499 is transmitted, amplifier 1508 can be a narrowband devicethat is tuned to the fundamental frequency of the clock signal 1499.Where multiple clock signals 1499 of different frequency aretransmitted, the amplifier 1508 can be a broadband amplifier withsufficient bandwidth to encompass the frequencies of the individualclock signals 1499.

Intra-chip clock interface 1522 includes a clock generation modulehaving an optional signal conditioner 1510 and optional divider network1512. The optional signal conditioner 1510 can include a comparator withhysteresis, a clipping circuit or other signal conditioner thatgenerates a clock signal of desired shape from the conditioned clocksignals 1502 or clock signals 1499 that are received. Where multipleclock signals 1499 of different frequency are received, signalconditioner 1510 can include filters for isolating the different clocksignals along with individual signal conditioners for conditioning theindividual clock signals 1499. Whether a single clock signal 1499 ormultiple clock signals 1499 are received, optional divider network 1512can include one or more frequency dividers or fractional frequencydividers for creating one or more additional recovered clock signals1514 at lower frequencies for use in the operation of the associatedcircuit, such as one or more circuits of integrated circuit die 1530.

FIG. 106 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is presented for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features discussed inconjunction with FIGS. 1-105. In step 1600, a first clock signal havinga millimeter wave fundamental frequency is communicated from a firstcircuit to a second circuit via a plurality of power supply lines.

FIG. 107 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is presented for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features discussed inconjunction with FIGS. 1-105. In step 1610, at least one second clocksignal is generated in the second circuit, based on the first clocksignal.

FIG. 108 is a flow chart diagram of a method in accordance with thepresent invention. In particular, a method is presented for use inconjunction with one or more of the functions and features discussed inconjunction with FIGS. 1-105. In step 1620, a first clock signal havinga millimeter wave fundamental frequency is communicated from a firstcircuit of a first integrated circuit die to a second circuit of asecond integrated circuit via a substrate that supports the firstintegrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the first clock signalis communicated electromagnetically via a waveguide in the substrate orinductively via a magnetic path in the substrate.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted toleranceranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to,but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit processvariations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermalnoise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a fewpercent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, theterm(s) “coupled to” and/or “coupling” and/or includes direct couplingbetween items and/or indirect coupling between items via an interveningitem (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, anelement, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirect coupling, theintervening item does not modify the information of a signal but mayadjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. As mayfurther be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element iscoupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirectcoupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”. As mayeven further be used herein, the term “operable to” indicates that anitem includes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s),etc., to perform one or more its corresponding functions and may furtherinclude inferred coupling to one or more other items. As may stillfurther be used herein, the term “associated with”, includes directand/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item beingembedded within another item. As may be used herein, the term “comparesfavorably”, indicates that a comparison between two or more items,signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when thedesired relationship is that signal 1 has a greater magnitude thansignal 2, a favorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude ofsignal 1 is greater than that of signal 2 or when the magnitude ofsignal 2 is less than that of signal 1.

While the transistors in the above described figure(s) is/are shown asfield effect transistors (FETs), as one of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate, the transistors may be implemented using any type oftransistor structure including, but not limited to, bipolar, metal oxidesemiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET), N-well transistors,P-well transistors, enhancement mode, depletion mode, and zero voltagethreshold (VT) transistors.

The present invention has also been described above with the aid ofmethod steps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

The present invention has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks illustrating the performance of certainsignificant functions. The boundaries of these functional buildingblocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description.Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significantfunctions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocksmay also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certainsignificant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram blockboundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and stillperform the certain significant functionality. Such alternatedefinitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocksand sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimedinvention. One of average skill in the art will also recognize that thefunctional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules andcomponents herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discretecomponents, application specific integrated circuits, processorsexecuting appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

1. An integrated circuit comprising: a first circuit; a plurality offirst power supply lines for providing a first power to the firstcircuit; and a first intra-chip clock interface coupled to the firstpower supply lines that generates a first clock signal on the firstpower supply lines; a second circuit that operates based on the firstclock signal; a plurality of second power supply lines for coupling asecond power to the second circuit; a high-pass filter for coupling theplurality of first power supply lines to the plurality of second powersupply lines, wherein the high-pass filter passes the first clocksignal; and a second intra-chip clock interface coupled to the secondpower supply lines that recovers the first clock signal from the secondpower supply lines.
 2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein thehigh-pass filter includes at least one capacitive element.
 3. Theintegrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the first clock signal is at amillimeter wave frequency.
 4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 whereinthe first circuit operates based on the first clock signal.
 5. Theintegrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the first intra-chip clockinterface further generates a second clock signal on the first powersupply lines; wherein the second intra-chip clock interface recovers thesecond clock signal from the second power supply lines; and wherein thesecond circuit operates based on the second clock signal.
 6. Theintegrated circuit of claim 5 wherein the first circuit operates basedon the second clock signal.
 7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 whereinthe second intra-chip clock interface includes a clock generation modulethat generates a second clock signal based on the first clock signal. 8.The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the second intra-chip clockinterface includes a clock generation module that generates a pluralityof second clock signals based on the first clock signal.
 9. Anintegrated circuit comprising: a first circuit; a plurality of firstpower supply lines for providing a first power to the first circuit; anda first intra-chip clock interface coupled to the first power supplylines that generates a first clock signal on the first power supplylines; a second circuit that operates based on the first clock signal; aplurality of second power supply lines, coupled to the plurality offirst power supply lines for coupling a second power to the secondcircuit; and a second intra-chip clock interface coupled to the secondpower supply lines that recovers the first clock signal from the secondpower supply lines.
 10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein theplurality of first power supply lines are electrically connected to theplurality of second power supply lines.
 11. The integrated circuit ofclaim 9 wherein the plurality of first power supply lines are coupled tothe plurality of second power supply lines via a high-pass filter thatpasses the first clock signal.
 12. The integrated circuit of claim 11wherein the high-pass filter includes at least one capacitive element.13. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the first clock signal isat a millimeter wave frequency.
 14. The integrated circuit of claim 9wherein the first circuit operates based on the first clock signal. 15.The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the first intra-chip clockinterface further generates a second clock signal on the first powersupply lines; wherein the second intra-chip clock interface recovers thesecond clock signal from the second power supply lines; and wherein thesecond circuit operates based on the second clock signal.
 16. Theintegrated circuit of claim 15 wherein the first circuit operates basedon the second clock signal.
 17. The integrated circuit of claim 9wherein the second intra-chip clock interface includes a clockgeneration module that generates a second clock signal based on thefirst clock signal.
 18. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein thesecond intra-chip clock interface includes a clock generation modulethat generates a plurality of second clock signals based on the firstclock signal.
 19. A method comprising: communicating a first clocksignal having a millimeter wave fundamental frequency from a firstcircuit to a second circuit via a plurality of power supply lines. 20.The method of claim 19 further comprising: generating at least onesecond clock signal in the second circuit, based on the first clocksignal.